Belgium’s striker Romelu Lukaku is looking for efficiency against Ukraine on Wednesday (to be continued from 6:00 p.m. on RTS 2). She wants to qualify and 1st place in Group E where the 4 teams – with Romania and Slovakia – are tied with three points.
This is the first time in the history of the tournament that each team in the same group has the same number of points before the last day and can therefore still qualify in different ways: by finishing 1st, 2nd, or hoping to finish among the 4 best 3rds.
For Belgium’s Kevin de Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, among the only survivors of the golden generation of the Red Devils, no other objective than 1st place. This would allow them to avoid meeting France or the Netherlands in the round of 16 and will therefore pass, after an inaugural defeat against Slovakia (1-0) and a nice rebound against Romania (2-0), by a success over Ukraine.
Huge potential
Coach Domenico Tedesco is convinced that his team “with enormous potential” despite the retirement of Eden Hazard, can go far if she qualifies for the knockout phase. The success of her men will probably depend on their ability to convert their chances, the immutable Romelu Lukaku having already seen denied 3 goals in Germany following VAR interventions.
Opposite, the Ukrainians recovered from a first scathing defeat (3-0) against Romania, then brilliantly overthrowing Slovakia (2-1). Since the tournament expanded to 24 teams, no nation with 4 points has ever failed to qualify for the round of 16. Ukraine will be eliminated on goal difference if Wednesday’s two Group E matches end in draws.
Slovakia and Romania face each other at the same time in Frankfurt, knowing that one point each would be enough to send both countries to the next round. The nations which emerge from Group E will face those from Group D of France and the Netherlands.
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