MUNICH: A late strike denied Slovenia a first ever win in a European Championship as Serbia snatched a 1-1 draw on Thursday.
Žan Karničnik’s 69th-minute goal put Slovenia on the brink of a historic win until substitute Luka Jović levelled deep in stoppage time.
The goal sent the Serbia fans into raucous joy but also saw them throw flares and other objects onto the field.
The equalizer was virtually the last action as the referee blew fulltime immediately after the players restarted. The Slovenia players collapsed to the ground in disappointment.
It also would have been their first win in a major tournament since victory over Algeria in the 2010 World Cup.
Slovenia play England in their final group match on Tuesday, when Serbia face Denmark. Serbia lost to England in their opener.
With both teams needing a win to boost their chances of progressing, the match started at a fast pace and Serbia goalkeeper Predrag Rajković had to make two early saves.
Those two shots on target in the first eight minutes were as many as Slovenia had in total in their draw with Denmark.
Serbia withstood the waves of Slovenia attacks and had their first chance in the 27th minute but Dušan Vlahović’s header was straight at goalkeeper Jan Oblak.
Serbia went even closer moments later when Dušan Tadić whipped in a fabulous corner to the far post but Aleksandar Mitrović — who scored in his previous two matches against Slovenia — couldn’t get a proper touch.
The best chance of the half fell to Slovenia in somewhat fortunate circumstances. Timi Elšnik tried to pass to a teammate, but the ball came off a Serbia defender and fell kindly back to him for a thunderous effort which crashed off the right post. Benjamin Šeško fired the rebound woefully over.
Serbia started the second half with three great chances to break the deadlock inside the first five minutes, including Slovenia defender Jake Bijol almost scoring an own goal.
This tournament has seen plenty of stunning long-range goals and there was almost another in the 58th but Rajković did well to push Šeško’s strike over the bar.
Slovenia eventually broke the deadlock with a move started and finished by Žan Karničnik. The defender won the ball deep inside his own half and ran some 40 yards before picking out Elšnik on the left and racing into the box to collect the cross and tap home at the back post.
Serbia almost levelled immediately but Elšnik hit the crossbar.
Serbia threw everything at Slovenia in the final stages. Even Rajković came up for the final corner but it was Jović who leapt highest to head it past Oblak in the fifth minute of added time.
Late leveler by Serbia denies Slovenia first Euros win
https://arab.news/2h4sg
Late leveler by Serbia denies Slovenia first Euros win
- Žan Karničnik’s 69th-minute goal put Slovenia on the brink of a historic win until substitute Luka Jović levelled deep in stoppage time
- The goal sent the Serbia fans into raucous joy but also saw them throw flares and other objects onto the field
Manchester City crush Liverpool to mark Guardiola’s 1,000 match
- Liverpool have now lost five of their last six league games to leave the defending champions down in eighth, eight points off the top
MANCHESTER: Manchester City celebrated Pep Guardiola’s 1,000th game in management with a statement 3-0 win over Liverpool to close to within four points of Premier League leaders Arsenal.
Erling Haaland shrugged off missing an early penalty to head in his 99th Premier League goal before Nico Gonzalez’s deflected effort and a wonder strike from Jeremy Doku confirmed City’s status as Arsenal’s major title rivals.
Liverpool have now lost five of their last six league games to leave the defending champions down in eighth, eight points off the top.
Arsenal’s 10-game winning run came to an end in a 2-2 draw at Sunderland on Saturday and Guardiola’s men took full advantage in the battle of the two sides that have dominated the Premier League over the past decade.
“Thank you to the players and staff for giving me that incredible present,” said Guardiola on marking his 1,000th game in style.
“I said to the players ‘guys, don’t do it because yesterday Arsenal didn’t win. Let’s do it to believe ourselves’.
“We play against the champions of England. Show them that we are able to be there with them (Arsenal) this season and today I think we proved it.”
Even if decisions went against Arne Slot’s men, this was another show of how far they have fallen since cruising to a 2-0 win at the Etihad in February.
The Reds showed signs of a revival in beating Aston Villa and Real Madrid in the past eight days, but had no answer to the slickness of a rejuvenated City, who have won 11 of their last 14 games in all competitions.
“We need to improve and that’s obvious,” said Slot.
“The first focus is getting results. The last thing we should focus on right now is the title race.”
- Doku bamboozles Bradley -
Conor Bradley shut down the threat of Madrid’s Vinicius Junior on Tuesday but was given a torrid time by the pace and trickery of Doku down City’s left.
Doku made the most of Ibrahima Konate’s clearance off Bradley to round Giorgi Mamardashvili before his trailing leg was clipped by the Georgian.
Referee Chris Kavanagh was initially unmoved but pointed to the spot after a VAR review.
Haaland has struck 28 times already this season for club and country, but is yet to score for City from the spot as Mamardashvili redeemed himself by getting down low to his left to save.
But the Norwegian has still only failed to score in two of his 18 appearances this season and duly delivered with a looping header to meet Matheus Nunes’ wicked delivery on 29 minutes.
Liverpool thought they were level nine minutes later when Van Dijk’s header from a corner arrowed into the far corner.
However, Andy Robertson ducked out the way of his captain’s effort and was deemed to have interfered with Gianluigi Donnarumma from an offside position.
Instead of going in all square, City rubbed salt in the wounds of Liverpool’s perceived injustice.
The visitors were slow to get out from a corner and Gonzalez had time to take aim before his shot deflected off Van Dijk to wrong-foot Mamardashvili.
Liverpool only had themselves to blame for not getting back in the game early in the second period as Cody Gakpo blazed over with the goal gaping at the end of a fine move involving Mohamed Salah and Bradley.
Doku fittingly rounded off arguably his best performance in three seasons at City in style to seal victory just after the hour mark.
The Belgian jinked inside the leaden-footed Konate before curling into the top corner from outside the box.
Salah then summed up Liverpool’s day and season so far when he dinked wide a glorious chance 10 minutes from time.
