Luka Jovic rescues Serbia with last-gasp header to deny Slovenia historic win

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 secured their first ever Euros victory, and would have deserved to.

LAST GASP EQUALISER: Luka Jovic of Serbia celebrates scoring with teammate Dusan Tadic. Pic: Carl Recine/Getty Images

Euro 2024: Slovenia 1 (Karnicknik 69') Serbia 1 (Jovic 90+5')

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.