FIFA 2018: Aleksandar Kolarov stunner ensures Serbians soar against Costa Rica

Kolarov after the victory

Aleksandar Kolarov said Serbia "won't be doing the maths yet" after his brilliant second-half free-kick grabbed a 1-0 victory over Costa Rica. The Roma defender made the crucial breakthrough early in the second half with a magnificent effort, and although Serbia missed chances to further extend their lead, they were not overly troubled by the Costa Ricans.

The win puts Serbia in a strong early position in Group E ahead of games against Brazil and Switzerland as they look to reach the last 16 for the first time since becoming an independent country. "To score, I had it in a corner of my mind, but I especially wanted us to play as a team," said Kolarov. "It's very important that we have these three points in the bag, but it;s not over, Switzerland will be the hardest match. I don't want to do the maths for now, if we draw it would not work, we want to win."

Serbia coach Mladen Krstajic gave Branislav Ivanovic his 104th international appearance, making the former Chelsea centre-back the most-capped player in his nation's history, moving clear of Dejan Stankovic. Serbia were solid throughout, with young Lazio forward Sergej Milinkovic-Savic a constant threat.

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