Slovakia shock Belgium with 1-0 win in Group E match of EURO 2024

By Selcuk Bugra Gokalp

Slovakia shocked Belgium by winning 1-0 in a Group E match of the 2024 UEFA European Football Championship (EURO 2024) on Monday.

Belgium wasted no time getting an early lead as striker Romelu Lukaku aimed his shot from the six-yard box to Slovakian goalie Martin Dubravka in the third minute at Frankfurt Arena.

Slovakian forward Ivan Schranz completed the return ball from Belgian goalkeeper Koen Casteels with a shot from a narrow angle in the seventh minute and brought the lead to his team.

Belgian midfielder Leandro Trossard missed the chance to equalize in the 21st minute as his long shot to an empty Slovakian goal was off target.

Casteels made a vital save by denying Slovakian winger Lukas Haraslin's accurate long shot in the 40th minute.

Lukaku wasted another scoring chance in the 41st minute when he was one-on-one with Dubravka.

Lukaku put one back of the net in the 57th minute but it was later disallowed after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) inspection due to an offside.

Slovakian defender David Hancko had to be treated on the sidelines after colliding with a teammate while deflecting a Belgian shot from the goal line in the 62nd minute.

The Red Devils' forward Lukaku put another one into the net but it was disallowed once more, due to a handball this time, in the 86th minute.

This game also marked Turkish referee Halil Umut Meler's first European Championship game.

Slovakia are now second in the Group E standings, behind Romania, both with three points each, while Belgium are in the number three spot without points.