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Kieran Trippier played the full match as it ended England 1 Serbia 0 on Sunday night.
Not often England start off any tournament with a victory.
After having looked like they might run away with that match during spells in the first half, it then became a grim struggle after the break simply to see the single goal win out.
Credit to Kieran Trippier and the rest of the defence for restricting Serbia to a single effort on target, even that was from outside the box and straight at Jordan Pickford.
Sunday night’s match was watched on BBC One by a peak audience of 15 million people, more than half of the nation’s TV on the evening.
A late worry on Kieran Trippier when he had to have treatment on the pitch but turned out to be simply a bit of cramp.
The Newcastle United defender very satisfied with last night’s outcome and now looking forward to Denmark on Thursday.
Kieran Trippier pleased/relieved as he reflects on the 1-0 England victory over Serbia in their first Euros 2024 group match:
“It’s always massive [if you can win your first match].
“You look across the past few tournaments that we have had, it is always crucial if you can get the first win.
“We knew it would be a tough game.
“A tough team to play against and we had to defend our box very well and I thought we did that.
“We have learned a lot but the most important thing is the three points.
“It gives us great momentum and belief.
“It shows the character of the boys and when it gets tough, you know that you have to deal with that.
“We want to go into the Denmark game and we want to win.
“We know Denmark are a very good side, good quality players, so now the most important thing is we recover as a team and then we focus on Denmark.
“Clean sheets are massive.
“Look through the winners of tournaments, clean sheets are a massive factor.
“We talk about that lot.
“Defending our box well and certainly we had to defend crosses because they put some dangerous balls in the box.
“The most important thing is don’t concede and you see the quality that we have got at the other end to score goals.”
Newcastle United players on international duty:
Saturday 15 June
Switzerland 3 Hungary 1 (Euros Group match)
The Newcastle United defender with a very good personal performance, playing the full 90 minutes as the Swiss deservedly beat Hungary.
Sunday 16 June
England 1 Serbia 0
England got the job done, eventually.
Anthony Gordon an unused substitute but Kieran Trippier playing the full 90 minutes and doing ok at left-back. His job to stretch things in attack up England’s left hand side, with likes of Foden not willing/able to stay out wide and instead continually drifting inside. With the plan clearly for all of England’s main attacking to be through the middle and especially out wide on the right.
That is where the excellent winning goal came from, a great ball from Walker putting Saka in behind and his deflected cross perfectly then flighted for Bellingham’s pinpoint run into the box and the header giving Serbia’s keeper no chance.
At the other end was Trippier’s main task though and with the rest of the defence he did well, especially after the break when England suddenly went all defensive and invited Serbia to go for the equaliser. The Three Lions offering zero threat in the second-half apart from sub Bowen’s cross where the keeper made a great save but in reality Kane should have given him zero chance with the header.
Pickford only had one shot on target to save all game and whilst the commentator and pundits raved about it, in reality it was from outside the box and straight at him, the England keeper tipping the ball over the bar.
The highlight of Trippier’s performance was when Serbia got into the box on the left and an equaliser beckoned for Serbia with Mitrovic waiting for the ball to be squared for a tap-in. However, the Newcastle defender covering his central defenders had got across and was too strong for Mitro who was sent sprawling and claiming for a forlorn penalty.
Monday 17 June
Slovakia v Belgium (Martin Dubravka) Euros Group match 5pm ITV1
Wednesday 19 June
Switzerland v Scotland (Fabian Schar) Euros Group match 8pm BBC1
Thursday 20 June 2024
England v Denmark (Anthony Gordon and Kieran Trippier) Euros Group match 5pm BBC1
Friday 21 June 2024
Slovakia v Ukraine (Martin Dubravka) Euros Group match 2pm BBC1
Sunday 23 June 2024
Switzerland v Germany (Fabian Schar) Euros Group match 8pm BBC TBC
Monday 24 June 2024
Costa Rica v Brazil (Bruno Guimaraes) Copa America Group match
Colombia v Paraguay (Miguel Almiron) Copa America Group match
Tuesday 25 June 2024
England v Slovenia (Anthony Gordon and Kieran Trippier) Euros Group match 8pm ITV1
Wednesday 26 June 2024
Slovakia v Romania (Martin Dubravka) Euros Group match 5pm BBC TBC
Friday 28 June 2024
Paraguay v Brazil (Bruno Guimaraes and Miguel Almiron) Copa America Group match
Tuesday 2 July 2024
Colombia v Brazil (Bruno Guimaraes) Copa America Group match
(There will of course be more matches for Newcastle United players if their nations get through the group stages of the Copa America and/or the European Championships.)
Sunday 14 July 2024 – European Championships final.
Sunday 14 July 2024 – Copa America final.

 
