Serbia has clinched its place at Euro 2024, marking their first ever European Championship finals appearance as an independent nation. The Eagles secured qualification after a dramatic 2-2 draw against Bulgaria in their final Group G match on Sunday, sending Serbian fans into jubilant celebrations.
Knowing that a single point would suffice, regardless of Montenegro’s result against Hungary, Serbia faced a nervy encounter. While Montenegro did take the lead in Budapest, eventually succumbing to a 3-1 defeat, Serbia’s path was far from straightforward. A tense match in Leskovac saw Serbia fall behind in the second half, before a crucial late equalizer from Srdjan Babic ensured their qualification to Euro 2024 was sealed.
The match began brightly for the home side when Milos Veljkovic headed in the opening goal in the 16th minute. However, as news filtered through of Slobodan Rubezic’s goal for Montenegro, anxiety began to creep into the stadium. Bulgaria, languishing at the bottom of Group G and desperate for a victory, mounted a spirited comeback in the second half.
Georgi Rusev leveled the score in the 59th minute with a well-taken strike, silencing the home crowd. Just ten minutes later, Kiril Despodov, who had previously hit the bar, delivered a stunning blow, chipping the ball expertly over Serbian goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic to put Bulgaria ahead. At this point, Serbian hopes teetered on the brink.
Fortunately for Serbia, and their fervent supporters, news quickly spread that Dominik Szoboszlai had scored twice in quick succession for Hungary, swinging their match against Montenegro decisively in Hungary’s favor. This shifted the pressure back onto Bulgaria to score again. Then, in the 82nd minute, Srdjan Babic rose to the occasion, heading home from close range to equalize and ignite scenes of wild celebration as Serbia secured their place at Euro 2024. This momentous occasion marks a significant achievement for Serbian football, bringing them back to the top European stage.
In other Euro 2024 qualifying action, Romelu Lukaku delivered a remarkable first-half performance, scoring four goals in just 20 minutes as Belgium cruised to a 5-0 victory over 10-man Azerbaijan in Group F. Lukaku’s dominant display in Brussels solidified Belgium’s top spot in the group, while Azerbaijan finished fourth. The match was further tilted in Belgium’s favor by an early red card for Azerbaijan’s Eddy Israfilov.
Meanwhile, in Group F’s other fixture, Sweden defeated Estonia 2-0, marking a stylish end to Janne Andersson’s seven-year tenure as Sweden manager. Goals from Viktor Claesson and Emil Forsberg secured the victory.
Spain also secured a win in their final Group A match, defeating Georgia 3-1. Goals from Robin Le Normand and Ferran Torres, along with an own goal, sealed the victory for Spain, confirming their top spot in the group. However, the win was overshadowed by a potentially serious knee injury to Barcelona midfielder Gavi, who left the pitch in tears. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored for Georgia, briefly leveling the score in the first half.
In Group J, Portugal maintained their perfect qualifying record with a 2-0 victory against Iceland, securing their 10th win in 10 games. Bruno Fernandes opened the scoring, and Ricardo Horta added a second to seal a flawless campaign. Slovakia, the Group J runners-up, also finished with a win, overcoming Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-1 despite a red card for the home side. Luxembourg edged Liechtenstein 1-0, even after being reduced to 10 men early in the match.
Serbia’s qualification to Euro 2024 is the headline story, however, ending years of waiting and anticipation for Serbian football fans. Their journey in the tournament will be keenly watched, as they aim to make a significant impact on the European stage.
