Belgium 2-0 Romania (June 23, 2024) Game analysis –

A goal from Youri Tielemans after 73 seconds and a late goal for Kevin De Bruyne gave Belgium a 2-0 victory over Romania on Saturday in an incredible match full of chances that set up a last-round showdown with all four teams in Group E were at three. points.

It was a Saturday evening special for Euro 2024, played in an astonishing atmosphere in Cologne, with the only mystery being that there were only two goals.

It meant that for the first time in the history of the European Championship, all four teams in a group are on equal points after two rounds, following Ukraine’s 2-1 victory over Slovakia on Friday. All results will now be available on the final evening of Wednesday, when Belgium play Ukraine and Slovakia play Romania, where four points could be enough to top the group but could also see a team eliminated.

Romania and Belgium have the advantage with a difference of plus one goal. Slovakia is at zero and Ukraine at -2, with those goal differences being the deciding factor if both matches end on equal terms.

“I liked the second game a little more,” said Belgian manager Domenico Tedesco. “Today the result was good from my point of view. Romania left more space than Slovakia.

“Now we are a bit loose and happy that we can book these three points and see how we are prepared for the next match.”

Belgium, somehow still ranked third in the world by FIFA, were unrecognizable from the sluggish side that were shocked by Slovakia in their opening match, pouring forward and full of energy from the first whistle.

It paid immediate dividends as Romelu Lukaku held the ball with his back to goal before rolling it into the path of Tielemans, who drilled in a sharp, low shot.

Four minutes later, Romania came close with Radu Dragusin’s header, which Koen Casteels saved well, but it was a short respite as Belgium showed the first half.

Marvin Ibo Guengoer – GES Sportfoto/Getty Images

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Dodi Lukebakio’s fierce shot was well saved by Florin Nita after a trademark carving from De Bruyne, while Lukebakio and Amadou Onana both flew over when they were free in front of goal.

It seemed only a matter of time before they scored again, but Romania weathered the storm and didn’t panic, knowing how they struck so devastatingly on the counter to beat Ukraine.

Their fans certainly stayed behind them, creating a great atmosphere as the noise rained down from all four stands.

The waves of Belgian attacks continued, however, as Jérémy Doku fizzed inches from Lukaku’s head, De Bruyne curled one just past a post and then another shot was smothered by Nita.

Lukaku thought he had scored the second after an hour of confidently firing in from a through ball from De Bruyne, but VAR ruled he had disallowed the ball for offside – five days after conceding two goals against Slovakia.

The incredible end-to-end action continued, with Dennis Man scoring a goal for Romania but then wastefully shooting straight at Casteels and then, incredibly, it was the Belgian keeper who set up the second goal 10 minutes from time with a Sunday competition route with one goal. .

He launched a goal kick that evaded everyone and the ever-on De Bruyne took it to tap the ball home for what could prove a priceless goal if the calculators are needed to split the teams next week.

Romania, of course, are also still in the hunt to reach the knockout stages for a second time, having failed to even qualify for the last six World Cups following their golden era of the 1990s.

“We have had a great start to the tournament, now let’s see how we deal with difficulties. We need solidarity and unity because we are still first in the group,” said their coach Edward Iordanescu.

“It’s a very complicated group; a third goal would have been very bad for us.”