Belgium upset by Slovakia in Euro 2024 Opener
Belgium came in as one of the favorites for the Euro 2024 title but had a rough start, losing 1-0 to Slovakia in their first Group E match.
Ivan Schranz scored the only goal for Slovakia, taking advantage of a mistake by Belgium’s Jeremy Doku. Schranz expertly redirected the ball into the net after a shot from Juraj Kucka, even surviving a long VAR check.
Belgium’s star striker Romelu Lukaku had a tough game. He scored twice in the second half, but both goals were disallowed after VAR reviews.
READ MORE: Euro 2024: Romania sweep aside Ukraine in group E opener
The first was ruled offside, while the second was nullified due to a handball by teammate Lois Openda.
Lukaku tried to make up for a poor first half but couldn’t change the outcome. Belgium created several good chances but couldn’t break through Slovakia’s defense. Now, Slovakia sits at the top of Group E with Romania.
Slovakia will play Ukraine next, aiming for another win to secure their place in the last 16, while Belgium must now beat table-toppers Romania to get back on-course.
Belgium’s performance was disappointing, and they need to improve to avoid an early exit like in Euro 2022. The game left fans questioning if Belgium’s ‘golden generation’ can live up to the hype.
