Luka Jovic rescues Serbia with last-gasp header to deny Slovenia historic win
This result may help everyone and no one but, at the end, it had the feeling of a resounding win for Serbia. They were heading to defeat and likely elimination, the referee Istvan Kovacs checking his watch one last time, when they won a corner after desperately loading the box. Up came their goalkeeper, Predrag Rajkovic, and perhaps his presence was a crucial distraction for a hitherto tight Slovenia back line. Ivan Ilic’s delivery sailed over his head and was met by Luka Jovic, the substitute, whose header flashed past Jan Oblak.
Pandemonium ensued and there was no time for the game to restart. Slovenia’s players sank to the floor. They would surely have qualified for the round of 16 if the right-back Zan Karnicnik’s 69th-minute goal had been the winner, and would have deserved to. Now they must, at the barest minimum, draw against England and hope. Serbia’s lifeline still means only a win against Denmark will do, but this shift in momentum may work wonders for their campaign.
