Romania secured top spot in Group E alongside Slovakia, advancing to the Euro 2024 round of 16 following an evenly contested 1-1 draw in Frankfurt.
Ondrej Duda opened the scoring for Slovakia in the 24th minute, heading home a precise cross from Juraj Kucka to breach the Romanian defense.
Romania responded before halftime with Razvan Marin converting a powerful penalty into the top corner after Ianis Hagi was fouled by David Hancko in the box.
Belgium secured second place in the group after drawing with Ukraine, who were eliminated from the tournament.
Slovakia progresses as one of the best third-placed teams and could potentially face England in the next round, pending the final Group F results later tonight (20:00 BST).
This marks the first instance in Euro history where all teams in a single group finished with the same points.
Romania’s advancement to the round of 16 marks their first since 2000, with Ianis Hagi playing a pivotal role throughout the match, notably drawing the crucial penalty. Marin and Denis Dragus came close to scoring again for Romania, while Slovakia pressed for victory with efforts from David Strelec and Lukas Haraslin narrowly missing the mark.
Duda’s goal further solidified his place in Slovakian football history as the first player to score in two major international tournaments, having also found the net against Wales in Euro 2016.
Fans from both sides celebrated at full-time, reflecting the joyous atmosphere as both teams continue their Euro journey.
Romania coach Edward Iordanescu expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance in front of a supportive crowd: “I believed in the players from the very beginning. We have shown our potential and character. We have discovered the spirit that must define us.”
“We faced adversity but responded with intelligence, heart, and composure. This is a historic achievement. This generation has shown incredible spirit. The entire stadium was practically yellow. Thank you to everyone here and at home in Romania. I’m sure they are all celebrating and feeling proud.”
