Favorites underway as England begin Euro 2023 with a win over Serbia; France kick off against Austria

Hey there! The Euros are officially underway and after several big teams played their opening game of the competition, there's much to discuss. I'm Pardeep Cattry with a look back at the weekend's action and a preview of what's to come.

📺 Footy fix

All times U.S./Eastern

Monday, June 17
🏆 Euros: Belgium vs. Slovakia, 12 p.m. ➡️ FS1
🏆 Euros: Austria vs. France, 3 p.m. ➡️ Fox

Tuesday, June 18
🏆 Euros: Turkey vs. Georgia, 12 p.m. ➡️ Vix
🏆 Euros: Portugal vs. Czech Republic, 3 p.m. ➡️ Fox

Wednesday, June 19
🏆 Euros: Croatia vs. Albania, 9 a.m. ➡️ FS1

⚽ The Forward Line

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England survive opener against Serbia

England picked up the expected three points in their opening match of the Euros against Serbia, but their 1-0 win in Gelsenkirchen arguably offers up more questions than answers about their status as one of the favorites to win the whole thing.

The Three Lions took an early lead when -- who else? -- Jude Bellingham scored a header in the 13th minute, but Serbia clawed their way back into the game by the midway point of the first half. It turned into an evenly contested match that revealed instability for England's defense, who were constantly under pressure from Serbia in the second half but managed to come out unscathed. Nigel Reo-Coker, though, points to England's midfield as a real area of concern from Sunday's match.

• Reo-Coker: "At times, Serbia were playing really, really well. They played through England, they played through them way too easy and they left themselves looking very vulnerable. … The biggest elephant in the room was Trent Alexander-Arnold starting in that center midfield area. There were times when England were left vulnerable and you could see that he's not a natural midfielder. To take that gamble and that risk in such a big tournament was a big call by Gareth Southgate and you'd have to say it didn't really work out too well."

The midfield performance might force Southgate to make some tinkers ahead of Thursday's match against Denmark. Conor Gallagher was his first substitute off the bench against Serbia and, coming off an impressive season at Chelsea, might be a strong contender to start while 19-year-old Kobbie Mainoo also came off the bench and might be favored by some for a spot in the lineup.

That said, England benefited from the fact that Serbia did little to turn their possession and pressure into meaningful goalscoring chances. They may have outshot England six to five but put just one shot on goal and mustered just 0.18 expected goals for all their effort. Serbia's offensive outing forces questions about how England would fare against a more efficient attacking unit, which could be an issue in their next two group games against Denmark and Slovenia after both posted 11-plus shots in their 1-1 draw on Sunday.

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🔗  Midfield Link Play

🇫🇷 Mbappe focuses on the Euros

France begin their quest to win the Euros for the first time since 2000 on Monday, when they take on Austria in Dusseldorf. Les Blues' case to win the whole thing is as strong as ever, with a healthy mix of veterans that remember the 2018 World Cup triumph and young talent that could extend France's run as one of the best teams in international soccer. Leading the way, naturally, is 25-year-old Kylian Mbappe, who exemplifies the blend of youth and experience the squad boasts in Germany.

As Mbappe enters his peak playing years and wears the captain's armband for the first time at a major tournament, the discussion around his legacy and his accolades go hand in hand. While the World Cup winners' medal easily tops his list of accomplishments, many recognize that a matching one from the Euros is missing -- and it will officially be the only trophy he can compete for this summer after Mbappe confirmed Sunday he will not take part in the Olympic Games in Paris.

• Mbappe: "For the Olympics, my club has a position which is very clear so that means I think I will not participate in the Olympics. That is how it is. Joining a new team [Real Madrid] in September would not be the best way to begin my adventure. I wish the best to the France team. I will of course watch all their games as a spectator rather than an actor, and I hope they bring back the gold medal."

With Mbappe fully focused on the Euros, manager Didier Deschamps will be tasked with getting the best out of him with the embarrassment of riches he has in multiple positions on the field. Mbappe last started for France in their 3-0 win over Luxembourg earlier this month, when he scored as part of an attacking group that included Marcus Thuram and Antoine Griezmann. Deschamps also has the ability to call upon Ousmane Dembele and 37-year-old Olivier Giroud, who is likely at his final international tournament with France but comes to Germany on the back of a 17 goal, nine assist season for AC Milan.

Expectations will be sky high for this France team, especially in their opening match against Austria. Where other high-profile sides like England and Italy kept things tighter than need be, many will be watching to see if France joins the likes of Germany and Spain with a dominant start to the Euros.

🔗  Top Stories

📲 Introducing Golazo America: CBS Sports is expanding its GOLAZO! brand and launching a new social vertical dedicated to serving fans of American soccer. @Golazo_America launches today on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X/Twitter as we get ready to celebrate the golden period of soccer in the U.S. with the Copa America this summer, the Concacaf Men's Gold Cup and Men's Club World Cup in 2025, and the FIFA Men's World Cup in 2026.

🇩🇰 Eriksen's triumphant return: Christian Eriksen scored Denmark's opening goal at the Euros, marking a celebratory return to the comPetition three years after suffering a cardiac arrest on the pitch.

🇺🇸 NWSL power rankings: NJ/NY Gotham FC keep climbing in the latest edition of the NWSL power rankings, while Racing Louisville took a hit after losing to the reigning champions.

✈️ Kvaratskhelia on the move?: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's agent said he's pushing the player to leave Napoli this summer since the "the priority is to join a team that plays in the Champions League."

🆕 FC Naples' new logo: Morning Footy host -- and co-owner of USL League One side FC Naples -- Nico Cantor breaks down the club's new logo.

💰  The Back Line

💵 Best bets

• Euro 2024: Austria vs. France, Monday, 3 p.m.
  💰 THE PICK: Kylian Mbappe to score (+110) -- If you're looking to make easy money, then a bet on Kylian Mbappe to get on the scoresheet is as simple as it gets. He scored nine goals in their qualifying campaign for Germany and at his first major tournament as captain, Mbappe is likely more motivated than ever to win another piece of silverware for his country and knows a strong start will be a perfect way to begin the tournament.
• Euro 2024: Portugal vs. Czech Republic, Tuesday, 3 p.m.

💰 THE PICK: Rafael Leao to score (+220) -- Rafael Leao might not be Portugal's most famous goalscorer, but the best news for the Euro 2016 champions is that they boast several in-form attacking talents. That includes the AC Milan player, who scored 15 goals and notched 12 assists for the Italian club last season, making him a solid choice to get on the scoresheet on Tuesday.

📺 What's on CBS Sports Golazo Network

☀️ Morning Footy (Weekdays 8-10 a.m.): Hosts Susannah Collins, Charlie Davies, Nico Cantor and Alexis Guerreros help fans get their day started on the network's flagship morning show with highlights, interviews and the biggest soccer storylines. Morning Footy is also available in podcast form, so you'll never have to miss an episode.

📦 Box 2 Box (Weekday afternoons): The news-driven show quickly recaps all the latest headlines from around the world with panelists previewing the top matchups of the day. Catch Box 2 Box on CBS Sports Golazo Network on the CBS Sports app, PlutoTV and Paramount+. 

3️⃣ Attacking Third (Monday, Thursday): The leading women's soccer podcast and social brand is now a live studio show. The NWSL season is back and our coverage of the women's Game is stronger than ever. Our analysts will be breaking down the USWNT, NWSL and European domestic season all year long.

👟 Kickin' It (Tuesdays): CBS Sports Golazo Network's unfiltered interview show releases Tuesday. Hosted by Kate Abdo, Clint Dempsey, Mo Edu and Charlie Davies, the group chat candidly with the biggest names from the Beautiful Game and share their stories from on and off the pitch. 

⚽ Call it What You Want (Monday night): A weekly podcast where Jimmy Conrad, Charlie Davies and friends cover all things USMNT and the state of the beautiful game in the United States.

🥅 Scoreline (Daily): Scoreline is the newest place for fans to catch up on all the biggest news and results impacting global football, match highlights from the top soccer competitions and all the can't-miss goals from the day's action, starting Thursday and airing seven days a week.

📺 How to watch: CBS Sports Golazo Network is a free 24/7 channel exclusively dedicated to offering unparalleled coverage of all the top soccer comPetitions worldwide. You can stream for free on the CBS Sports app, Pluto TV and Paramount+.