Played
October 16, 2012 5:00 PM BST
Stadion Mladost — Kruševac
Referee: H. Gocek
Attendance: 9500
October 16, 2012 5:00 PM BST
Stadion Mladost — Kruševac
Referee: H. Gocek
Attendance: 9500
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| Serbia Under 21 | 2.75 | 10.00 | 2.90 | 15.00 | 2.95 | 2.55 | 2.69 |
| Draw | 3.25 | 1.11 | 3.30 | 1.04 | 3.25 | 3.20 | 3.07 |
| England U21 | 2.20 | 10.00 | 2.30 | 15.00 | 2.30 | 2.66 | 2.40 |
Serbia Under-21 0-1 England Under-21 (0-2 Agg): Wickham seals progression as racism accusations sour play-off tie
After a lacklustre match during which both sides failed to bring the game to life, Stuart Pearce's charges did just about enough, with ugly scenes prompting a fracas at full-time
By James McManus
Getty Images
England Under-21s overcame Serbia Under-21s to clinch a crucial 1-0 victory at the Stadion Mladost in Krusevac to qualify for the 2013 European Championships in Israel next summer, with both sides clashing at the end of the match.
With a draw enough to seal safe passage for England, both sides played out a largely incident-free stalemate during which clear-cut chances were in short supply as the hosts struggled to hold onto possession in the face of a doggedly determined England side.
Nevertheless, Connor Wickham sealed the victory in the dying moments of the game when he tapped home into an empty net after being played in by Tom Ince following an England break with the Serbian goalkeeper caught upfield in the final minute.
The game ended in disgrace, though, with Danny Rose awarded a red card after full-time and both sets of players involved in a mass scuffle to put a dampener on a professional performance.
Three Lions manager Stuart Pearce made two changes from the first meeting between the two sides, with Jack Rodwell missing out through injury and Raheem Sterling dropping to the bench, with Jason Lowe and Nathan Delfouneso drafted into the starting XI instead.
Serbia coach Aleksandar Jankovic made six changes to the side that lost the first leg with Milos Kosanovic, Milan Rodic, Ognjen Mudrinski, Goran Causic, Nemanja Kojic and Nikola Ninkovic coming into a much more attacking-minded side looking to overturn the deficit, with with Filip Mladenovic and Aleksandar Pantic suspended after picking up yellow cards during the game at Carrow Road.
The visitors started the game reasonably well and went close to extending their aggregate lead in the third minute when Marvin Sordell went close after collecting Jordan Henderson's excellent pass, stepping inside Serbian skipper Slobodan Medojevic before seeing his well-struck effort bounce back out off the woodwork.
Serbia's best chance of the half came in the 23rd minute when a dangerous Darko Lazovic free-kick from wide on the right caused confusion in the box and led to Ninkovic going close, with the young striker curling a shot just wide of Jack Butland's bottom right-hand corner.
With the game becoming increasingly open, Craig Dawson and Lazovic both went close in quick succession before Milivojevic saw an effort deflected just over, but with neither side able to create anything clear-cut, the first half ended goalless.
The second half began much in the same way that the first ended, with both sides unable to fashion any clear-cut opportunities, cancelling one another out in a war of attrition in the middle of the park.
Pearce's charges were just trying to close the game out and only a speculative drive from distance by Kosanovic threatened the England goal, while Wilfried Zaha was booked for diving in the opponents' box after appearing to stumble over under pressure.
With Serbia throwing everything forward in the final moments, though, they left themselves exposed and with goalkeeper Branimir Aleksic told to go up, England broke after clearing the ball and Ince played it inside for Wickham to tap home in the 93rd minute.
After the final whistle, both sides were involved in a fracas which subsequently saw Danny Rose awarded a second yellow card of the evening and dismissed after the final whistle with tensions boiling over during which was a largely forgettable game.
With a draw enough to seal safe passage for England, both sides played out a largely incident-free stalemate during which clear-cut chances were in short supply as the hosts struggled to hold onto possession in the face of a doggedly determined England side.
Nevertheless, Connor Wickham sealed the victory in the dying moments of the game when he tapped home into an empty net after being played in by Tom Ince following an England break with the Serbian goalkeeper caught upfield in the final minute.
The game ended in disgrace, though, with Danny Rose awarded a red card after full-time and both sets of players involved in a mass scuffle to put a dampener on a professional performance.
Three Lions manager Stuart Pearce made two changes from the first meeting between the two sides, with Jack Rodwell missing out through injury and Raheem Sterling dropping to the bench, with Jason Lowe and Nathan Delfouneso drafted into the starting XI instead.
Serbia coach Aleksandar Jankovic made six changes to the side that lost the first leg with Milos Kosanovic, Milan Rodic, Ognjen Mudrinski, Goran Causic, Nemanja Kojic and Nikola Ninkovic coming into a much more attacking-minded side looking to overturn the deficit, with with Filip Mladenovic and Aleksandar Pantic suspended after picking up yellow cards during the game at Carrow Road.
The visitors started the game reasonably well and went close to extending their aggregate lead in the third minute when Marvin Sordell went close after collecting Jordan Henderson's excellent pass, stepping inside Serbian skipper Slobodan Medojevic before seeing his well-struck effort bounce back out off the woodwork.
Serbia's best chance of the half came in the 23rd minute when a dangerous Darko Lazovic free-kick from wide on the right caused confusion in the box and led to Ninkovic going close, with the young striker curling a shot just wide of Jack Butland's bottom right-hand corner.
With the game becoming increasingly open, Craig Dawson and Lazovic both went close in quick succession before Milivojevic saw an effort deflected just over, but with neither side able to create anything clear-cut, the first half ended goalless.
The second half began much in the same way that the first ended, with both sides unable to fashion any clear-cut opportunities, cancelling one another out in a war of attrition in the middle of the park.
Pearce's charges were just trying to close the game out and only a speculative drive from distance by Kosanovic threatened the England goal, while Wilfried Zaha was booked for diving in the opponents' box after appearing to stumble over under pressure.
With Serbia throwing everything forward in the final moments, though, they left themselves exposed and with goalkeeper Branimir Aleksic told to go up, England broke after clearing the ball and Ince played it inside for Wickham to tap home in the 93rd minute.
After the final whistle, both sides were involved in a fracas which subsequently saw Danny Rose awarded a second yellow card of the evening and dismissed after the final whistle with tensions boiling over during which was a largely forgettable game.
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