Belgium, muddled, floundered in its first Euro 2024 match and lost to Slovakia 0-1 on Monday in Frankfurt (group E). The men of Italian-German coach Domenico Tedesco appeared amorphous, uninspired, like their playing master Kevin De Bruyne, extinct.
After a few good sequences, the Belgians were surprised in the 7th minute. Taking advantage of an error from Jérémy Doku, Ivan Schranz opened the scoring for the Slovaks by beating Koen Casteels. They never recovered despite obvious territorial domination.
The Belgian goalkeeper, replacing Thibaut Courtois (the Real Madrid goalkeeper absent from the tournament), even avoided the 0-2 shortly before the break on a new attempt from Schranz. Opposite, before the break, Romelu Lukaku had a goal ball three times without taking advantage of it.
Returning from the locker room, De Bruyne and his teammates still failed to put their opponents in difficulty despite several opportunities and more open play.
The Red Devils put the pressure on. But in vain. Like Johan Bakayoko, who was close to equalizing on the hour mark shortly before a Lukaku goal was canceled for an offside position. Same scenario two minutes from time when a new goal from Lukaku was canceled again by the VAR for a handball.
Belgium will have every interest in winning its next match on Saturday against Romania, clear winner of Ukraine on Monday afternoon (3-0), when Slovakia will face Ukraine.
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