Luka Jovic rescues Serbia with last-gasp header to deny Slovenia historic win | Euro 2024

This result could help anyone and everyone, but in the end it felt like an emphatic victory for Serbia. They were heading for defeat and likely elimination, referee István Kovacs taking one last look at his watch as they won a corner after a desperate charge into the box. Up came their goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic and perhaps his presence was a crucial distraction to the then Slovenia back line. Ivan Ilic’s cross flew over his head and was met by Luka Jovic, the substitute, whose header went past Jan Oblak.

Pandemonium ensued and there was no time to restart the game. The footballers of Slovenia sank to the floor. They would surely have qualified for the last 16 if right-back Zan Karnicnik’s 69^thA goal from one minute secured their first win in the Euros and would have deserved it. Now they have to at least draw against England and hope. Serbia’s lifeline still means only a win against Denmark will do, but this change in momentum could do wonders for their campaign.

For most neutrals it was the undercard of the day, but once again two less fancied nations packed one of Europe’s great stadiums. It felt like a big occasion like any other, the stakes were high and the atmosphere was tight, stuffy, tense. The obvious attraction was a clash of strikers who would both cope in more famous jerseys. Premier League clubs may have to wait another year to sign Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig, but nobody questions his potential to thrive there; against him was Dusan Vlahovic, who continues to make a solid case that he belongs to the elite group.

In a contested first half, plenty of energy and intent but a general lack of cohesion, the clearest opener fell to Cesco eight minutes before the break. Slovenia looked the more threatening side and when former Derby midfielder Timmy Max Elsnick burst into space on the right of the box, they had their big chance. Elsnik took a clean shot but it hit the near post; Cesko, with an empty net to aim for as defenders slid in to intervene, couldn’t wrap his foot around the rebound and curled it wide.

This led to the opening of proceedings. Until then, Slovenia, showing the form and discipline of a team that had lost once in their previous 13 games, defended their territory smartly and occasionally broke with purpose. Jan Mlakar made an early save from Rajkovic, chipping his left shin from a corner, and the keeper was troubled again by a cross from the right which forced Andraj Sporar to tap home.

Serbia, facing a tough enough weather that Filip Mladenovic was booked for a desperate tackle on Karnicnik, had little to show for the opening half-hour bar, Vlahovic’s header meeting Oblak’s hands. Dragan Stojkovic had recalled Dusan Tadic, looking for guile to accompany the energy that took England into the distance, but the final third places he enjoyed were firmly shut down.

Sesko’s miss seemed to revive them. Aleksandar Mitrovic, who had earlier failed to get meaningful contact on a corner that bounced in front of goal, kept out Karnicnik but saw Oblak block from close range. VAR could have ruled an offside by Andrija Zivkovic, who crossed the ball, if it had gone in.

There would have been less doubt if Oblak hadn’t failed Mitrovic again two minutes after the restart, standing firm after Tadic finally found a pocket to slot him into. Oblak was put in his place shortly afterwards when Jaka Bijol miscued a pass from Mladenovic’s substitute Mijat Gacinovic and sent the ball wide of his own net. Mitrovic immediately saw a header deflected wide and Serbia, attacking their most ferocious support, restarted like a train.

Now they were pulling Slovenia around, Tadic took a wide position on the right and fired into the center which narrowly eluded Mitrovic. As the hour approached, however, came the reminder of Sesko’s gifts. Rajkovic was at full strength to turn over after marauding down the left to fire home and by this point both keepers had earned their corn.

Now the match had an ebb and flow. Both managers rolled the dice, Vlahovic among the substitutes, and it was Slovenia who came up with a brilliant goal on the counter-attack. Gacinovic looked likely to break down the left flank, but lost control of the ball and Karnicnik intervened. Serbia were now exposed and Karnicnik could eat up the pitch, advancing 50 yards before sweeping the ball left into the path of Elsnik. He continued to fight his lungs out and, appearing at the back post to meet the ensuing cross, slid inside to finish a long-range one-two.

f Did Serbia have the means to strike back? Mitrovic headed in a cross from Zivkovic, but after a decisive shot from Karnicnik, he hit the post. Substitute Lazar Samardzic fired low wide, but the scores were nothing but disappointing until Jovic scored.