Clinical Serbia outclass battling Gibraltar in European qualifier opener
Serbia U19 4–0 Gibraltar U19
Gibraltar’s U19 national team began their UEFA European Championship qualifying campaign with a 4–0 defeat to Serbia in Croatia this afternoon. Despite the scoreline, the young Gibraltarians put in a determined and disciplined performance against technically superior opposition.
Serbia made their intentions clear from the start, opening the scoring in the 9th minute when Srđan Borovina finished from close range after a smart assist from Bogdan Kostić. The pressure continued, and Gibraltar goalkeeper Andrew Recagno was kept busy throughout the first half with several key saves.
Serbia doubled their advantage on 29 minutes through Uroš Djorđević, who converted after neat link-up play with Makević. A third goal arrived before half-time as Borovina struck again in the 38th minute, this time assisted by Ranković, giving Serbia a commanding 3–0 lead at the break.
Gibraltar came out stronger in the second half, tightening their defensive lines and creating a few attacking moments of their own. Ostheider and Fortunato both registered efforts on goal, while Recagno continued to impress between the posts.
However, Serbia added a fourth in the 74th minute when Aleksa Damjanović latched onto a Djorđević assist to seal the victory. Despite the setback, Gibraltar continued to show character, pressing forward until the final whistle and forcing a late save from Serbian keeper Draškić.
The match featured several yellow cards as the contest grew physical, with Gibraltar’s Rowbottom, Montovio, Schofield, and Ramirez all cautioned.
While the result went against them, Gibraltar’s players earned credit for their resilience, work rate, and moments of composure under pressure. They now turn their focus to their next group match against hosts Croatia, aiming to build on today’s experience and continue their development at this level.
Final score: Serbia U19 4–0 Gibraltar U19
Goals: Borovina (9’, 38’), Djorđević (29’), Damjanović (74’)
