Belgium suffered a surprising 1-0 defeat against Slovakia in a dramatic Group E encounter at the European Championship on Monday, marred by contentious VAR decisions that nullified two goals from Romelu Lukaku.
Slovakia took the lead early in the seventh minute through forward Ivan Schranz, capitalizing on a defensive lapse. Despite relentless pressure from Belgium, led by their prolific striker Lukaku, the Slovakian defense held firm.
The pivotal moment of the match arrived in the 62nd minute when Slovakia’s David Hancko made a crucial goal-line clearance, sustaining an injury in the process. This heroic intervention denied Belgium an equalizer and set the tone for Slovakia’s resilient defensive display.
Belgium’s frustrations deepened in the second half as VAR interventions ruled out two goals from Lukaku. The first was disallowed for offside following a review, while the second was overturned due to a handball by Lois Openda in the build-up.
Lukaku, who set a record with 14 goals in the qualifying stages, endured a frustrating evening despite several clear-cut chances. Belgium, previously unbeaten in 15 games under coach Domenico Tedesco, now faces Romania in a crucial fixture in Cologne on Saturday.
Slovakia, buoyed by their upset victory, will take on Ukraine in Dusseldorf on Friday, aiming to build on their promising start to the tournament.
Earlier in the day, Romania also defied expectations with a convincing 3-0 win over Ukraine in Munich, further shaping the dynamics of Group E at Euro 2024.
