Serbia U-21 v Spain U-21
Line Ups
The Game
2' A great passing move from the lads. Duelofeu cuts inside and hits the post, almost an early lead.
9' We should have scored. Another great passing move which ends with Jese putting in a cutting ball into Morata who misses a 1 on 1 with their keeper. Simply put, not good enough from Alvaro!
14' (0-1) WHAT A GOAL!!!! I'm jumping for joy as Koke smashes home a Free-Kick from just outside of the box, their keeper just stood and watched it go in. The 4th official is telling me to calm down so I just laughed and waved him off, the first goal and hopefully many more to come.
21' (0-2) NUMBER 2!!! Brilliant goal from Pardo, another great goal. Fantastic passing move again by the lads and it fell so sweetly to Ruben and he smashed it from outside the box into the top corner, woo.
26' Great corner wipped in by Gerard, and Muniesa just heads it wide of the post. Still passing
around fantasticaly and it seems these Serbians just can't get the ball of us.
28' (0-3) OH IT'S NUMBER 3!!! Passing again is key in the build up, we passed it round just outside the box and Alberto runs wide and collects a fantasticaly weighted Deuofeu ball, he hits it and the keeper parries it straight into the path of Alvaro who just slots it into the net, what a first game!
30' Another fantastic move by the lads, passing it around the Midfield and Vadillo decides to take a shot from just outside the box, the keeper pushes it over and from the corner it gets scrambled around and out of the box to Pardo who shoots just over.
33' First real chance for Serbia, they hit it upfield to Kadrijaj who puts in a decent ball to Kostic who, thankfully, does not have his shooting boots on and puts it well wide.
HT: As the ref blows for half-time I entered the Changing Room and pat each of them on the back. "What a fantastic half, these Balkans don't stand a chance! Just keep doing what your doing and we can win this very comfortably". As I walked out I feel a tap on my shoulder and I turn round to see Ruben Pardo looking uncomfortably at me, he tells me that his ankle doesn't feel to good and that he could do with not playing the second half. This is gutting news as he is my main playmaker and he had been playing superbly but I feel that I needed to go with it, being my first game. I now had a decision to make, who to replace Ruben with. I had two good replacements on the bench in Jose Campana and Sergi Roberto but I felt that this was a game that was there to be attacked and I felt that Sergi was a lot more attacking minded than Jose.
48' A chance for us to go further out in front, Deulofeu picks up the ball and gives it straight to Alberto which I found weird, usually Gerard likes to dwell on the ball and take on a few players before he gives it to someone else, as I recalled he was limping out of the changing room but I thought at the time it was a slight knock, I'm going to have to take him off but not right now. Anyway, Alberto picks up the ball and gives it to Roberto who starts off another good passing move wich ends up at Vadillo who shoots it straight at their keeper.
50' WOW what a miss, Jese hang your head in shame my son. A fantastic run by Vadillo ends with him crossing it into a crowded penalty box and the ball gets spewed out to Jese, and frankly, I didn't think anybody could kick it any higher than he did, it almost went into orbit! I am going to have to bring Gerard off now, Saul is going to have to come on, hopefully he doesn't get blinded by god.
75' Ooooo, I think nerves may have set in there. Saul picks up the ball and takes it past all their defenders and hits it straight at their keeper, I honestly don't think he had a clue what he was doing! Anyway the resulting corner is taken by Saul and goes straight out for a goal kick, he can take players on but he is woeful at corners I guess.
79' Great link up play between Roberto and Koke, after 3 or 4 passes Koke puts the ball through to Jese who puts it just over, we can't seem to hit the target anymore! Still dominating possesion and passing it round very well though.
83' Sergi Roberto puts it just wide, I can't say anything about this chance though as I was busy changing into shorts, lesson one: we can pass well, Lesson two: It can be hot in Serbia.
87' Passing move again creates time for Roberto to dwell on the ball and Vadillo makes a run to his right. Roberto puts in a fantastic ball through and Vadillo hits a bending shot that is very well saved by their keeper. Saul puts in yet another woeful corner...
FT: What a first game! 3-0 in Serbia is a great result no matter who you are! I walked over to shake hands with Radovan Ćurčić who stared at me before brushing past me and storming down the tunnel. He is not a happy bunny. But for me, I am delighted and in the Changing Rooms I make that known to the lads telling them what a very nice victory it was with passion in my voice and that lads just looked really pleased and I hope they keep showing what they shown out their today.
Stats
Thoughts
The bus drive to the airport wasn't easy, we were warned before the game of the hostality of the Serbians if they get beat and we beat them with ease. There were people chanting racist slurs running alongside the bus and some kid in a balaclava chucked a brick threw a window and it almost hit Marc Muniesa on the head, poor lad, it must of gave him a heart-attack!
