Serbia qualifies for Euro 2024 with 2-2 draw over Bulgaria
Leskovac: Serbia ended their 24-year wait to qualify for the UEFA European Championship after booking their ticket to Euro 2024 with a 2-2 draw with Bulgaria on a night when Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku scored. Set a new European qualifier goalscoring record.
Serbia secured the required points to qualify for their first Euro finals since 2000. Milos Veljkovic nodded in from close range after Nemanja Gudelj’s header hit the crossbar to put the hosts ahead in the first half.
The visitors improved after the restart and restored parity courtesy of Georgi Rusev’s crisp low drive, before Kirill Despodov completed the turnaround after a well-worked counterattack.
Dragan Stojkovic’s side equalized with eight minutes remaining, with Serdan Babic converting a Dusan Tadic corner to deny Bulgaria its first win in Group G.
In the other match, Romelu Lukaku scored four goals in a span of 21 first-half minutes to help Belgium top Group F against ten-man Azerbaijan.
The Red Devils captain got the breakthrough on 17 minutes, with a powerful header from Jeremy Doku’s pinpoint delivery. Visiting midfielder Eddy was sent off for a second booking shortly afterwards and Lukaku doubled the advantage moments later, before he nodded in Wout Face’s cross to complete his hat-trick before half-time. Finished fourth, eight minutes back.
Leandro Trossard scored the fifth goal late on when he headed home Doku’s cutback.
Lukaku’s four goals took him to 14 goals for this Euro qualifying campaign, overtaking the Euro preliminary record set by Northern Ireland’s David Healy (2008) and Poland’s Robert Lewandowski (2016).
Elsewhere, a quick-fire double from captain Dominik Szoboszlai, including a fine individual effort, sparked a comeback as Hungary topped Group G. Slobodan Rubenjic’s close-range header put Montenegro ahead in the run-up to the game as they chase the win they need to keep any chance of qualifying.
Szoboszlai equalized after the interval with a superb finish after a tough run, and he added the second moments later combining with Martin Adam. Adam Nagy’s half-volley in extra time capped a stylish second half.
