Portugal concluded the first round of U-19 qualifying with a narrow victory over Serbia
Portugal secured a result that completely changed the outcome of Group A6 in League A with a 1:0 victory against Serbia in the third round of the first stage of qualifying for the UEFA European Under-19 Championship. The match was played on 9 June 2026 at the Kaftanzoglio Stadium in Thessaloniki, and according to UEFA's official record it was decided by Tomás Soares's goal in the 33rd minute. Serbia finished the match without an equalizer and with one player fewer, because the Football Association of Serbia stated in its official report that Ostojić was sent off in the seventh minute of stoppage time. Portugal's narrow victory was enough for the Portuguese U-19 national team to remain among the three teams in the group that continue the competition in League A, while Serbia, according to UEFA's and the FAS's announcement, finished in fourth place and will play the next stage in League B. The match in Thessaloniki therefore had a far greater stake than an ordinary final round: it decided the status in the new qualifying system, not only the current standings in the group.
One goal determined the course of the match in Thessaloniki
According to the official data from UEFA and the Football Association of Serbia, Portugal took the lead in the 33rd minute, when Soares scored for 0:1. That result remained unchanged until the end of the match, although Serbia had enough time in the second half to attempt a comeback. The FAS report shows that Serbia head coach Slađan Nikolić made changes in the second half, so Ilić, Ivković, Đurković, Milwood and Tomović entered the game from the 58th minute, and then from the 69th and 80th minutes. Portugal, on the other hand, preserved an advantage which, in this type of qualifying match, had double value: it brought three points, but also avoided a fall into the lower qualifying tier. The FAS also stated in the match record that the halftime score was 0:1, confirming that the only goal came before the break and that the match then turned into a contest in which Serbia sought an equalizer while Portugal sought control over its lead.
In the closing stages, the tension increased further, as confirmed by UEFA's official timeline with cards in stoppage time itself. According to the FAS, Ostojić received a red card in the 90.+7 minute, immediately before the end of the match. UEFA's match record also lists yellow cards for Yoan Pereira and Strahinja Baucal in the final moments, while Salvador Gomes had also been cautioned earlier, in the 87th minute. These details do not change the basic picture of the match, but they show that the ending was burdened by pressure from the scoreline, especially for Serbia, who needed a more favorable outcome to remain in League A. In youth football, such matches often also have developmental value, because players learn to play matches in which not only one result is being decided, but also the entire qualifying path.
Serbia remains without League A in the next round
The most important consequence of the match is not only Serbia's 0:1 defeat, but the fact that the Serbian U-19 national team slipped into League B for the next part of qualifying. In its report on the conclusion of the first qualifying round, UEFA stated that Portugal, Greece as the group host, and Kazakhstan remain in League A from Group A6, while Serbia was relegated to League B. The Football Association of Serbia published the same information, adding that the Serbian team will play in the next qualifying round in November in the lower division of the new system. This is an important competitive detail because the format no longer works like the previous two-stage model, but through three rounds in which the standings from the first stage carry over into the schedule and level of the next stage. For Serbia, this means a harder path back toward the highest qualifying level and additional pressure in the continuation of the cycle for the 2027 European Championship.
Serbia had a changeable tournament in Group A6. According to the FAS announcements about the first two rounds and the final match, Serbia won the first match against Greece 1:0, then lost to Kazakhstan 1:3, and concluded the competition with a 0:1 defeat against Portugal. Such a sequence of results left Serbia behind the three opponents, although before the final round there was still a realistic possibility of remaining in League A. The defeat to Kazakhstan proved especially costly, because it turned the final match against Portugal into a match in which it was not enough simply to wait for the outcome of the other group match. After the final round, UEFA confirmed the standings according to which Portugal, Greece and Kazakhstan continue in League A, while Serbia must continue from League B.
Portugal used its narrow advantage and improved its position in the group
For Portugal, the match in Thessaloniki was a test of patience and efficiency. The Portuguese U-19 national team had two draws in the previous two group matches, and with the victory against Serbia it reached the outcome it needed for a safe stay in League A. According to UEFA's report, Portugal remained after the first round among the teams that continue the competition in the higher qualifying division, confirming that Soares's goal had a broader significance than a single match. Portugal did not achieve a convincing victory, but it achieved what was decisive in the final round: it kept a clean sheet and turned one goal into the maximum competitive effect. In youth-category qualifying, such results are often just as important as high-scoring victories, because they decide the level of opponents in the next stage.
In the FAS's official match record, Cunha, Dbouk, Rodrigues, Coxi, Gomes, Soares, captain Quintas, Verdi, Guedes, Stevan and Ferreira were listed for Portugal, while the head coach was listed as Bino. For Serbia, Petrić, Papović, Milanović, Topić, Ivanović, Anđelić, captain Šarić, Ostojić, Baucal, Subotić and Đokanović started. Such a lineup gives the match an additional developmental dimension, because it concerns a new generation of players trying to establish themselves in the national-team system through qualifying. The FAS explicitly emphasized in its report that this is a new generation of Serbia's youth national team, which also explains the broader context of the result: these matches are not only a fight for placement, but also part of the process of forming players for later national-team levels. In that process, Portugal showed greater competitive maturity in Thessaloniki and made better use of the key moment of the match.
The new UEFA system gives the first round greater importance
For the 2026/27 cycle, UEFA introduced a new qualifying format for the European Under-19 Championship, and the match between Serbia and Portugal is precisely one example of how the change in the system increases the weight even of early qualifying matches. According to UEFA, qualifying from this edition onward is played in three rounds. The first round, which ended on 9 June 2026, decided promotions and relegations before the second round in the autumn, while the third round in spring 2027 will decide the seven national teams that will join the host of the final tournament. UEFA states that the host of the 2027 finals is Czechia, and that the final tournament will be played in the summer of 2027. In such a model, status in League A or League B is not just an administrative label, but directly affects the difficulty of the path toward the finals.
According to the rules UEFA published for the first round, the three best-placed national teams in each League A group remain in League A for the second round, while the last-placed team is relegated to League B. In League B, the group winners are promoted to League A, while the other national teams remain in the same division. This means that Serbia played in Thessaloniki to remain in the strongest qualifying environment, while Portugal secured continuation in a group of higher status with its victory. The FAS additionally explained that under this system, three teams from Division A and one team from Division B will be formed into new groups in March 2027, and the winners of those groups will qualify for the European Championship. Although the details of UEFA's schedule may change through the draw and the calendar, the basic message remains clear: the first round no longer has only a selection role, but already in June separates national teams by competitive status.
Thessaloniki as the neutral stage of Group A6
Although the brief original information did not state the venue of the match, the official UEFA and FAS match records confirm that the match was played at the Kaftanzoglio Stadium in Thessaloniki. This is a stadium that served in this cycle as one of the stages of the group in Greece, and UEFA's match data also lists the refereeing team. The main referee was Mateo Erceg from Croatia, the assistant referees were Ivan Starčević from Croatia and Christos Psyllos from Greece, while the fourth official was Georgios Kokkinos from Greece. Such details are important for the complete identification of the match, especially when it concerns youth national teams whose matches are often not followed as widely as senior qualifiers. Thessaloniki in this case was a neutral competitive stage for the resolution of the group, but also the place where the very different interests of Serbia and Portugal collided.
For Serbia, this was an attempt to retain its status in League A after a turbulent start to the first round, and for Portugal an opportunity to avoid an unpleasant outcome with a narrow but effective result. According to the FAS, Serbia finished the match with a 0:1 defeat and thereby remained below the line that separates the three best teams from the last-placed one. According to UEFA, Portugal entered with that victory among the national teams that continue in League A, together with Greece and Kazakhstan. In that sense, the match was not attractive in terms of the number of goals, but it was very substantial in terms of consequences. One goal in the 33rd minute determined not only the result, but also the direction of the continuation of the qualifying cycle for both national teams.
Broader significance for player development and the next qualifying step
U-19 qualifying has a special place in the European football system because it sits at the transition between junior and senior development. Players who appear in this category are often already part of serious club academies or first professional environments, but they are still being shaped through high-pressure international matches. Portugal got exactly such a match in Thessaloniki: not spectacular, but competitively mature, with one moment taken and disciplined defense of the lead. Serbia, on the other hand, received a clear picture of the difference that individual mistakes, efficiency and control of the closing stages make in short tournament qualifiers. For both national teams, this match therefore has a value that goes beyond the final 0:1.
The continuation of the cycle now depends on the draw and the schedule of the next rounds, but according to UEFA's calendar, the first round has already performed its main function: it sorted the national teams by leagues for the continuation of qualifying. Portugal, Greece and Kazakhstan from Group A6 remain in League A, while Serbia will seek a return through League B. The FAS highlighted in its report that the Serbian selection will compete in the next round in November, which leaves several months for analysis, corrections and work with the new generation. Portugal, meanwhile, will enter the next stage from a better starting position and with confirmation that even matches without many goals can be valuable enough to achieve the goal. In qualifying in which each round determines the next level of competition, the narrow victory in Thessaloniki therefore carries a weight best seen only after a final look at the table.
Sources:
- UEFA – official match centre for Serbia U19 – Portugal U19 with the result, scorer and course of the match (link)
- UEFA – official information about the match, stadium and refereeing team in Thessaloniki (link)
- UEFA – report on the conclusion of the first qualifying round for the 2026/27 UEFA European Under-19 Championship and explanation of the new format (link)
- Football Association of Serbia – official report on the match, lineups, scorer, sending-off and consequences of the defeat for Serbia (link)
- Football Association of Serbia – report on the Kazakhstan U19 – Serbia U19 match and the context of the outcome before the final round (link)
- UEFA – official match centre for Portugal U19 – Kazakhstan U19 from the first round of Group A6 (link)
- UEFA – official statistical record of the Portugal U19 – Greece U19 match from the second round of Group A6 (link)