Euro 2008 qualifiers: Eagles crash in Brussels

Serbia’s "white eagles", as they are known, slumped to a 3-2 defeat in Brussels last night. The defeat severely dents the national side's prospects of qualifying for the European Football Championships in Austria and Switzerland next year. Euro 2008 qualifiers: Eagles crash in Brussels Buoyed by the news that, earlier in the day, group rivals Portugal had been held to a 1-1 draw in Yerevan against the minnows of Armenia, Serbia knew that a win could bring them within two points of leaders Poland, with a game in hand, and establish them as favourites to win the group. However, it was Belgium, with their best performance in a competitive match for some five years, that deservedly took all three points, and rekindled their own faint hopes of qualification. Without the injured Nikola Zigic up front, Serbia coach Javier Clemente started with a front two of Marko Pantelic and Danko Lazovic. And, the visitors began the match confidently enough, with Jankovic, Lazovic i Kuzmanovic all going close in the early stages. However, against the run of play, it was Belgium who opened the scoring in the eighth minute with practically their first attack of the game. Dembele released Defour down the right, who cut the ball back for Dembele to finish off the move he had started. This seemed to inspire the home side and after half an hour they doubled their advantage. Kevin Mirallas, making his debut for the national team picked up the ball on the halfway line and strolled unchallenged through a static Serb midfield, before firing a wonderful low drive inside Vladimir Stojkovic’s right-hand post from 18 meters out. Clemente rang the changes ten minutes into the second-half, bringing on Krasic and Jovanovic for the ineffectual Pantelic and Koroman, and this almost paid dividents immediately. The CSKA striker, who has struggled with injury all season, broke down the left, rounded the keeper and could only watch in disbelief as his shot was cleared off the line. Nevertheless, after 73 minutes, Serbia finally brought themselves back into the match, with Kuzmanovic sublimely clipping in Dragutinovic’s cross from the left wing. And, things could have been even better a few minutes later when the Belgian defence misjudged a right-wing cross, leaving Smiljanic unchallenged to knock the ball home from point-range. However, perhaps unused to finding himself in the opposition six-yard box, the right-back was caught unawares, and the ball bounced harmlessly off his thigh into the keeper’s welcoming arms. In th 89th minute, the home side wrapped up victory, when Dembele beat the offside trap, and confidently stroked the ball past Stojkovic for his second goal and a 3-1 lead. A minute later, Kuzmanovic grabbed his second of the night with another slick finish, to briefly revive Serb hopes. However, there was to be no grandstand finish, and Serbia have it all to do next month in their double-header against Finland and Portugal. Kuzmanovic, Defour (FoNet)

Euro 2008 qualifiers: Eagles crash in Brussels

Buoyed by the news that, earlier in the day, group rivals Portugal had been held to a 1-1 draw in Yerevan against the minnows of Armenia, Serbia knew that a win could bring them within two points of leaders Poland, with a game in hand, and establish them as favourites to win the group.

However, it was Belgium, with their best performance in a competitive match for some five years, that deservedly took all three points, and rekindled their own faint hopes of qualification.

Without the injured Nikola Žigić up front, Serbia coach Javier Clemente started with a front two of Marko Pantelić and Danko Lazović. And, the visitors began the match confidently enough, with Janković, Lazović i Kuzmanović all going close in the early stages.

However, against the run of play, it was Belgium who opened the scoring in the eighth minute with practically their first attack of the game. Dembele released Defour down the right, who cut the ball back for Dembele to finish off the move he had started.

This seemed to inspire the home side and after half an hour they doubled their advantage. Kevin Mirallas, making his debut for the national team picked up the ball on the halfway line and strolled unchallenged through a static Serb midfield, before firing a wonderful low drive inside Vladimir Stojković’s right-hand post from 18 meters out.

Clemente rang the changes ten minutes into the second-half, bringing on Krasić and Jovanović for the ineffectual Pantelić and Koroman, and this almost paid dividents immediately.

The CSKA striker, who has struggled with injury all season, broke down the left, rounded the keeper and could only watch in disbelief as his shot was cleared off the line.

Nevertheless, after 73 minutes, Serbia finally brought themselves back into the match, with Kuzmanović sublimely clipping in Dragutinović’s cross from the left wing.

And, things could have been even better a few minutes later when the Belgian defence misjudged a right-wing cross, leaving Smiljanic unchallenged to knock the ball home from point-range.

However, perhaps unused to finding himself in the opposition six-yard box, the right-back was caught unawares, and the ball bounced harmlessly off his thigh into the keeper’s welcoming arms.

In th 89th minute, the home side wrapped up victory, when Dembele beat the offside trap, and confidently stroked the ball past Stojković for his second goal and a 3-1 lead.

A minute later, Kuzmanović grabbed his second of the night with another slick finish, to briefly revive Serb hopes. However, there was to be no grandstand finish, and Serbia have it all to do next month in their double-header against Finland and Portugal.