Slovakia Stuns Belgium 1-0 at Euro 2024, VAR Rules Out Lukaku Goals

In a surprising turn of events at the European Championship, Belgium suffered a 1-0 defeat against Slovakia in a match that was nothing short of dramatic. The Group D encounter, held on Monday, saw Slovakia clinch a victory with an early goal from forward Ivan Schranz in the seventh minute. Despite Belgium's efforts and the prowess of their record scorer Romelu Lukaku, who saw two of his second-half goals disallowed following video reviews, Slovakia managed to hold onto their lead.

Lukaku, who had set a competition record last year with 14 goals in a qualifying group, found himself thwarted by Slovakia's defense and the intervention of VAR. His first disallowed goal came after an offside was spotted, and his second was overturned due to a handball by teammate Loïs Openda before Lukaku's shot. Adding to Belgium's woes, Dávid Hancko's brave goal-line block in the 62nd minute prevented another potential goal, leaving him with a facial injury after colliding with a teammate's knee.

The match was not without its chances for Belgium. Kevin De Bruyne, the team's playmaker, created several opportunities that Belgium could not capitalize on. The team's frustration was palpable as they failed to convert their efforts into goals, marking their first loss in 15 games under coach Domenico Tedesco.

Earlier in the day, Romania delivered another shock in Group D by defeating Ukraine 3-0 in Munich, defying pre-match expectations. These results have set the stage for an intriguing set of matches on Saturday and Friday, with Belgium set to face Romania in Cologne and Slovakia preparing for Ukraine in Duesseldorf.

Belgium's unexpected defeat has certainly reshaped the dynamics of Group D, leaving fans and analysts alike pondering over the potential outcomes of the upcoming matches. Slovakia's victory, underscored by their defensive resilience and effective use of VAR, has put them in a favorable position as they look ahead to their next challenge.