Euro 2020 Match 14: Milinković-Savić Late Equaliser Over Belgium

The following article provides an oversight for matches and tournaments taking place in 2020.

Euro 2020 Match 14: Belgium v Serbia

Milinković-Savić Late Equaliser Over Belgium

 

June 19, 2020

Belgium 2 Serbia 2

 

Milinković-Savić came off the Serbian bench to salvage a vital point againt Belgium in their second Euro 2020 match.

 

Belgium and Serbia, both with a win, sought to take top spot in the group. The Serbians made one change, thanks to an injury, while Belgium kept their same starting line-up.

 

Youri Tielemans looked set for a big game as he opened with the first cross and the first shot at goal, though the shot hit the defender and trickled to the goalkeeper, Vladimir Stojković. Romelu Lukaku also looked ready to score a goal as he powered one into the arms of Stojković.

 

Tielemans also had a chance with his head, only to fire it over the crossbar. He similarly tried in the 22nd minute, but it was from the tightest of angles that Stojković had no troubles.

 

Serbia immediately countered and placed themselves in the lead, with a deft through ball to Dusna Tadić, who made no mistake.

 

Belgium attacked several times, hoping to wrestle back something of an equaliser, only for Aleksandar Mitrović to have the next shot, parried away by Thibaut Courtois.

 

Down the other end, Dries Mertens crossed to Lukaku, whose deep header was blocked.

 

Instead, Serbia nearly scored again, only for the offside flag to save the Belgians going down by two goals.

 

A shock 1-0 lead to Serbia at halftime gave the visitors the boost they needed, and Aleksandar Katai had a ping from outside the box go begging.

 

Belgium, though, worked down the left wing, and with Lukaku’s hard work to keep the ball in their attacking third, ended the ball at the feet of Eden Hazard, who made no mistake in equalising.

 

Tielemans then gifted Belgium the lead in the 69th minute as he slid home a brilliant low cross, after once again Lukaku did the hard yards in the central attacking midfield area.

 

Serbian substitute Aleksandar Prijović looked to bring the match level again, with two attempts at goal.

 

Instead, it was the late substitute in Sergej Milinković-Savić who headed home the equaliser off a corner.

 

Katai and Tošic also had chances to win the game, only for Courtois to halt their shots. In the end, the match ended 2-2, a huge coup for Serbia and a letdown for Belgium.

 

Belgium now takes on the Ukraine in their third match in the hope of consolidating top spot in Group A, while Serbia faces a defiant Italy side.