Luka Jovic. SOPA Images

Trend of late goals continues at Euro 2024

By Sai Mohan | Last updated Jun 21, 2024 8:40 AM ET

Euro 2024 has reinforced the old saying that no lead is safe until the final whistle.

When Serbia's Luka Jovic netted a last-gasp strike against Slovenia in the fifth minute of stoppage time on Thursday, it marked the sixth goal in second-half stoppage time at the event thus far, which is already one more than the entire Euro 2020.

HEARTBREAK FOR SLOVENIA!

LUKA JOVIC IN THE 96TH MINUTE TO EQUALIZE FOR SERBIA.

THESE EUROS CONTINUE TO DELIVER! pic.twitter.com/09Szo0MTFL
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 20, 2024

Jovic's stunner came less than 24 hours after Albania's Klaus Gjasula scored an equalizer at 94 minutes and 23 seconds to break Croatian hearts at Volksparkstadion. Gjasula's goal was the most belated equalizer in Euro history (excluding extra time), only for Jovic to do one better a day later. Incredible.

6 - Six goals have been scored in second half stoppage time at EURO 2024, which is already one more than in the whole of the 2020 edition. Drama. #SVNSRB pic.twitter.com/ly6WCsvIns
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) June 20, 2024

Here's a recap of the six super-late goals scored thus far at Euro 2024:

Emre Can (Germany): 90 + 3' versus Scotland
Breel Embolo (Switzerland): 90 + 3' versus Hungary
Kerem Akturkoglu (Turkey): 90 + 7' versus Georgia
Francisco Conceicao (Portugal): 90 + 2' versus Czechia
Klaus Gjasula (Albania): 90 + 4' versus Croatia
Luka Jovic (Serbia): 90 + 5' versus Slovenia

Besides belated goals and a variety of goal scorers — only Germany's Jamal Musiala has scored more than once thus far — Euro 2024 has also produced an unprecedented number of long-distance strikes.

Needless to say, the trends bode well for fans, who were largely deprived of much suspense and drama during Euro 2020 and FIFA World Cup 2022.

Sai Mohan

A veteran sportswriter based in Portugal, Sai covers the NBA for Yardbarker and a few local news outlets. He had the honor of covering sporting events across four different continents as a newspaper reporter. Some of his all-time favorite athletes include Mike Tyson, Larry Bird, Luís Figo, Ayrton Senna and Steffi Graf.

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