Serbia ease to victory in the Faroes

Serbia began their UEFA EURO 2012 campaign with a routine Group C victory in the Faroe Islands.

Danko Lazović and captain Dejan Stanković scored inside the first 20 minutes for Radomir Antić's side although it took a Nikola Žigić strike in added time to add further gloss to the scoreline. Serbia know a sterner challenge lies ahead when fellow FIFA World Cup finalists Slovenia visit Belgrade on Tuesday, when the Faroe Islands travel to Italy.

Serbia could afford to play the match at their own pace in Torshavn, and broke the deadlock in the 13th minute when Lazović rolled the ball into an empty net. The second arrived within four minutes after Milan Jovanović was brought down just outside the area. Stanković did the rest, curling the free-kick into the top corner.

Gunnar Nielsen had to be alert to prevent Miloš Krasić making it three before half-time, and Serbia continued to dominate possession until the last quarter of the game when the Faroe Islands worked a couple of opportunities of their own.

Símun Samuelsen could perhaps have done better than shoot wide from an excellent position with 15 minutes to play while Johan Davidsen back-heeled another opening wide soon after.

With the hosts increasingly adventurous, Serbia tried to strike on the counter yet failed to take advantage of a five-versus-one situation late on. Nevertheless, the third goal of the game went the way of the visitors as Žigić dribbled the ball around Nielsen and made no mistake with the goal gaping.