Serbia U19 vs Croatia U19

Croatia struck inside the opening nine minutes. Tonći Kusanović slipped a pass through to Lovro Chelfi, who finished calmly past Serbia goalkeeper Vukašin Draškić to put the Blazers ahead. The early goal — Chelfi's first of the tournament — gave Croatia a platform they never relinquished.

Serbia's response was muted. Their most direct threat came from midfield enforcer Đorđe Ranković, whose physical approach earned him a yellow card for elbowing in the 26th minute. Ranković was withdrawn at half-time along with two other starters as Serbia manager Gordan Petric rang the changes, introducing Aleksandar Damjanović, Jovan Ćirić (replacing Bogdan Kostić), and Dušan Makević in a triple substitution.

Petric's reshuffle stabilised the game but generated little attacking thrust. Croatia's captain Marin Zebić was booked for a rough challenge in the 63rd minute, but his side remained in control.

The decisive blow came in the 70th minute. Substitute Dominik Godec, on the pitch for barely a minute after replacing Ante Šutalo, struck to double Croatia's lead — a textbook impact substitution from manager Siniša Oreščanin.

Serbia's discipline unravelled from there. Jovan Milosavljević was booked for tripping in the 78th minute, and as they pushed forward in search of a lifeline, they left gaps at the back. In the 86th minute, Stefan Stojković saw yellow for elbowing. One minute later, Croatia were awarded a penalty, and Patrik Čović converted from the spot to make it 3–0. Čović was himself booked for unsportsmanlike conduct immediately after scoring.

Godec's goal in the 70th minute — his first touch as a substitute — killed the contest. Serbia had weathered the storm after the early Chelfi goal, and the triple half-time substitution had given them a foothold. But Godec's strike, arriving barely 60 seconds after Šutalo's departure, punctured any belief Serbia had built. From that moment, Croatia controlled the tempo and Serbia's frustration boiled over into two late yellow cards.

Patrik Čović (Croatia U19) — The midfielder dictated the tempo from deep, scored a composed penalty, and covered enormous ground. His booking for unsportsmanlike conduct was the only blemish on an otherwise complete performance. Man of the match.

Lovro Chelfi (Croatia U19) — Opened the scoring with a poacher's finish in the 9th minute, worked tirelessly down the left flank, and drew fouls that relieved pressure. Subbed off in the 85th minute.

Vukašin Draškić (Serbia U19) — The goalkeeper made several saves to keep the scoreline respectable, particularly in the first half when Croatia were dominant. Could do little about any of the three goals.

Dominik Godec (Croatia U19) — A 60-second cameo that changed the game. Introduced in the 69th minute, he scored in the 70th and immediately shifted the game's momentum beyond Serbia's reach.

Croatia's 3–0 scoreline reflected a controlled performance rather than a dominant onslaught. The match finished with Croatia registering 3 goals from limited opportunities, showcasing clinical finishing. Serbia, despite their three second-half yellow cards, matched Croatia in stretches of possession but lacked cutting edge in the final third — their only goal of the entire group stage came in the opening match against Italy. Serbia finished the group with a −6 goal difference (1 scored, 7 conceded), underscoring a tournament where they struggled to convert possession into chances.

The three yellow cards for Serbia (Ranković, Milosavljević, Stojković) — all for fouls in the middle third or on transitions — tell a story of a team chasing the game and arriving late to challenges. Croatia's two bookings (Zebić for roughing, Čović for unsportsmanlike conduct) were isolated incidents rather than a pattern.

Croatia finish second in Group B with four points (1W, 1D, 1L), behind Ukraine U19 who swept the group with a perfect nine points. Italy U19 also finished on four points but Croatia's superior goal difference secured the runners-up spot. Serbia U19 finish bottom with zero points, having lost all three matches.

Croatia advance to the semi-finals where they will face the Group A winner — Spain U19, who topped their group with a perfect nine points and a +14 goal difference. The semi-final is scheduled for later in the tournament week.

For Serbia, the tournament is over. They return home having failed to progress beyond the group stage, with only a consolation goal against Italy to show for their efforts.

Croatia were functional, efficient and clinical when it mattered. They didn't need to dominate possession to win convincingly — their three goals came from three distinct phases of play (early pressure, a substitute's impact, and a late penalty) that showed tactical flexibility. Serbia, by contrast, never recovered from Chelfi's early strike and lacked the composure to mount a sustained comeback. The 3–0 scoreline was a fair reflection of the gap between the sides on the day.

Attendance: 1,141 at The Oval, Caernarfon. Referee: Florian Badstubner.