Slovakia stunned Belgium 1-0 in their Euro 2024 opening group game. The Red Devils lost 1-0 in Group E. A defensive error from Belgium saw Slovakia capitalize through Ivan Schranz in the seventh minute.
Slovakia vs Belgium highlights
GOAL (7′): Slovakia takes the early lead through Ivan Schranz. Despite a bright start, the Red Devils fall behind after a horrific defensive error.
Miss (21′): Leandro Trossard fails to put the ball to an empty net from a distance after Kevin De Bruyne put Martin Dubravka under pressure.
Save (40′): Koen Casteels makes a fantastic save from a thunderous Solavkian volley.
Save (55′): Dubravka denies Lukaku’s right-footed shot.
Offside (56′): Lukaku finds the back of the net. But the striker was offside.
Save (59′): Trossard forces a save from Dubravka with his attempt from outside the area.
Miss (58′): Romelu Lukaku hits the sideline from Kevin De Bruyne‘s pass.
Save (63′): Tremendous last-ditch save from Slovakia to prevent Johan Bakayoko’s effort.
GOAL canceled (86′): Lukaku finds the back of the net again. But his goal is ruled out again. Luis Opends hands the ball in the build-up to the goal.
Player of the Match:
Stanislav Lobotka: A midfield masterclass from Stanislav Lobotka. He completed 91.7 % of passes, 47 successful ones. Lobotka won possession eight times and made two interceptions.
Key moment:
Romelu Lukaku has two goals disallowed. The second one was a well-taken strike. It was a dagger to Belgian hopes as Luis Openda was penalized for handball.
Conclusion:
Belgium looked far from convincing. The team lacked cohesion and understanding. They were often athletically outdone by Slovakia. If this doesn’t change, the Red Devils won’t have a good Euro 2024. As for Slovakia, they can turn out to be a juggernaut for big teams. Slovakia have carried their impressive qualification form to the main tournament.
Also Read: Why did VAR disallow Romelu Lukaku’s second goal in Belgium vs Slovakia?