Jude Bellingham's goal secures England a 1-0 win against Serbia at Euro 2024 after fans clash
England's Jude Bellingham, left, celebrates with England's Trent Alexander-Arnold after scoring the opening goal during a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) — Jude Bellingham scored to give England a winning start at the European Championship by beating Serbia 1-0 on Sunday.
The Real Madrid star put Gareth Southgate’s team in front with a stooping header in the 13th minute at the Veltins Arena from Bukayo Saka’s cross.
The buildup to the game had been overshadowed by concerns about violence between rival supporters. And some of those fears were realized when police rushed to separate brawling fans in Gelsenkirchen earlier in the day.
England's Jude Bellingham, right, scores the opening goal during a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Social media footage showed men throwing chairs at each other outside a restaurant festooned with Serbian flags in the city.
England fans were soon celebrating once the game got underway after Bellingham’s early goal.
"It’s a great start for me personally to get my confidence up and to help the lads get the win is the most important thing,” Bellingham said.
England's Jude Bellingham (10) scores on a header during the first half in a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Monday, June 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Harry Kane so nearly extended the lead in the second half when Serbia goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic pushed his far post header onto the underside of the bar.
Kane set a record for his country by making his 23rd appearance at a major tournament.
“It’s a tough game. They are a tough team and have good players,” the England captain said. "We stood up to it well and it is good to get the three points and (for us) to progress. It’s good that we got the win today.”
Victory sent England to the top of Group C after Denmark drew 1-1 with Slovenia in an earlier game, with Christian Eriksen scoring three years after suffering a cardiac arrest on the field at the last Euros. England plays Denmark in Frankfurt on Thursday.
England's Jude Bellingham, front, celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal during a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
England was a beaten finalist at the last Euros, losing on penalties to Italy in the final three years ago. It is one of the favorites this time around. Serbia is playing in the Euros for the first time since 2000.
England's Jude Bellingham celebrates after scoring the opening goal during a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
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AP Euro 2024: https://apnews.com/hub/euro-2024
England's Harry Kane shakes hands with Serbia's Milos Veljkovic at the end of a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
Serbia's Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Milos Veljkovic applaud fans during a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
England's manager Gareth Southgate looks up prior to a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (Bernd Thissen/dpa via AP)
England's Jude Bellingham gets a hug from England's manager Gareth Southgate after being substituted during a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
England's Harry Kane runs for the ball during a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
England's Harry Kane, left, grimaces in pain after a challenge by Serbia's Nikola Milenkovic during a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
England's goalkeeper Jordan Pickford celebrates at the end of a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Euro 2024 Soccer Serbia England
Fans celebrate England's first goal of the game, scored by Jude Bellingham, at the 4theFans Central Park in Brighton, England, Sunday, June 16, 2024 during a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Gareth Fuller/PA via AP)