Serbia U19 vs Portugal U19

Portugal took the lead in the 33rd minute when Soares finished from a Tomás Rodrigues assist, the only goal of a tightly contested first half played at the neutral venue in Thessaloniki, Greece, where Group A6 was based.

Serbia pushed for an equaliser after the interval. Coach Slađan Nikolić introduced A. Ilić for the cautioned J. Ostojić at left-back on 58 minutes, then made a triple substitution on 69’ — bringing on A. Milanović, B. Papović and L. Ivanović for Jagos Đurković, O. Ivković and W. R. Milwood. D. Đokanović replaced Stefan Tomović on 80’.

Portugal, needing only a draw to guarantee their League A status, managed the game professionally. Coach Bino made five substitutions across the second half, with G. Dbouk, M. Guedes, Stevan, S. Verdi and E. Ferreira all introduced.

The match boiled over in stoppage time. Serbia’s Ostojić — booked in the 47th minute — received a second yellow card in the 90+7th minute and was sent off, ruling him out of the next competitive fixture. Strahinja Baucal and Salvador Gomes were also booked in the closing moments.

Soares’s 33rd-minute goal was the match’s only moment of incisive quality in the final third. Serbia had started their campaign with a 1-0 win over Greece on Matchday 1 but conceded first for the second consecutive match after falling 3-1 to Kazakhstan on Matchday 2. Once behind, Serbia lacked the cutting edge to break down a disciplined Portuguese defence that had drawn its opening two matches against Kazakhstan and Greece.

• Tomás Soares (Portugal U19) — Scored the decisive goal. His composure inside the box decided the group’s competitive fate.
• Salvador Gomes (Portugal U19) — Anchored midfield effectively, though his late booking was a minor blemish on a disciplined performance.
• Mateja Petrić (Serbia U19) — Could not be faulted for the goal and made several saves to keep the deficit at one.
• J. Ostojić (Serbia U19) — Booked early in the second half, then sent off in the seventh minute of stoppage time for a second bookable offence.

Player of the Match: Tomás Soares (Portugal U19)

The match was a low-event affair statistically: one goal from open play, five yellow cards and one red. Serbia made five substitutions in search of an equaliser but created minimal clear chances. Portugal’s goal came from one of their few first-half advances, and they never looked likely to concede afterwards. Serbia’s form across the group oscillated (W1 D0 L2), while Portugal’s path to survival was built on two draws followed by this decisive victory (D2 W1).

Under UEFA’s new three-round qualifying format for the 2027 European Under-19 Championship, the three best-placed teams in each League A group remain in League A for the second round, while the fourth-placed team is relegated to League B. Portugal’s victory ensured they finished among the top three in Group A6 alongside Greece and Kazakhstan. Serbia, who won only one of three matches, drop into League B for the next round in November 2026.

In March 2027, three League A teams and one League B team will form new qualifying groups, with the group winners advancing to the 2027 finals in Czechia alongside the host nation.

Serbia’s next competitive fixture will be in League B in November 2026. Portugal will continue in League A in the autumn round.

A functional, low-risk performance from Portugal delivered exactly what was needed — one goal, a clean sheet and League A survival. Serbia, with a new generation developing under Slađan Nikolić, will rue a costly defeat to Kazakhstan on Matchday 2 that made the final round an uphill task. The margin was fine, but the competitive consequences are clear: Portugal stays in the elite qualifying tier; Serbia must rebuild through the lower division.