After Romania’s shock victory over Ukraine, two groups that certified immediately clashed within the second match of Group E, Belgium performed Slovakia in Frankfurt.
The final time Belgium misplaced to Morocco within the group stage of the 2022 World Cup, they did not even make it additional, however since then they’ve performed 15 unbeaten video games, which included the complete European qualifiers. The preparation ended effectively, after two video games in March, they defeated Luxembourg and Montenegro in June.
Slovakia additionally arrived in Germany after profitable two friendlies, profitable 4-0 in opposition to Wales and San Marino. They made it to the European Championship as second within the group behind Portugal. Two Italian coaches clashed on Monday night time, the Belgians are managed by Domenico Tedesco and the Slovaks by Francesco Calzona.
The beginning groups have been as follows:
Belgium: Casteels – Castagne, Faes, Debast, Carrasco – Mangala, Onana – Trossard, De Bruyne, Doku – Lukaku
Slovakia: Dubravka – Pekarik, Vavro, Skriniar, Hancko – Kucka, Lobotka, Duda – Schranz, Bozenik, Haraslin
The match
After the Slovak after which the Belgian nationwide anthems, the Turkish Umut Meler blew the whistle, and Slovakia may take the kick-off. Within the third minute, Belgium instantly created a scenario after Doku tricked the attacking Slovaks, he crossed to De Bruyne, who handed the ball to Lukaku, however the striker couldn’t dig in, Dubravka made the save.
Within the fifth minute, Lukaku may have scored once more, however after a bounce, he may solely poke the ball previous Dubravka, which didn’t attain the objective, the collected ball was nonetheless raised, however the goalkeeper pulled it down.
GOAL! Slovakia took the lead within the seventh minute! Belgium took a throw-in at its personal nook flag, however the ball was offered, Schranz ready with a nook, Kucka may shoot, Casteels defended it, however Schranz reduce within the rebound. VAR investigated the scenario, however there was no offside. Belgium – Slovakia 0-1!
Within the tenth minute, Belgium claimed a penalty after Doku’s tackles knocked one of many Slovakian defenders off his toes, who hit the ball together with his hand within the night, however the referee was not impressed by the Belgian grievance. A minute later, Slovakia already acquired a free kick within the Belgian half of the sphere, it was cornered, however as a result of an offside, a free kick adopted.
A Belgian free kick adopted from a superb 25 meters within the thirteenth minute after De Bruyne was introduced down, the sufferer took it, however the ball flew over everybody.
The 15-16. Within the second minute, De Bruyne disturbed the Slovakian protection twice, first Doku shot into the block, then the Belgian crew captain served it to Trossard, however the ball bounced off a sliding Slovakian foot to the Belgian winger, so a kick-off may comply with.
The primary nook of the match was awarded to Slovakia after Bozenik acquired an extended ball following a possession, however Faes cleared. Haraslin crossed it within the nineteenth minute, however Faes was in the appropriate place once more.
Within the twenty first minute, Dubravka made a giant mistake, he poked the ball to Trossard, however the Belgian attacker shot it over the objective from 25 meters.
After a brief uneventful interval, the yellow card appeared within the twenty ninth minute. Belgium constructed a promising assault, however Mangala introduced down his opponent after a foul cross. After that, the Slovaks had the ball, they received a shot within the thirty first minute, however Casteels simply caught Bozenik’s weak try.
Within the thirty fourth minute, De Bruyne gave a good looking cross to his clubmate, Doku, who gained the Belgians’ first nook. De Bruyne gave the nook as effectively, Onana may have headed it, however Dubravka simply grabbed the ball.
Within the thirty seventh minute, Slovakia scored a ball within the opponent’s half, the cross bounced into the nook. Castagne took the nook kick from the nook of the 5.
fortieth minute, Kucka put the ball in entrance of him superbly, the inbound was additionally good, Haraslin shot from a catch, Casteels saved. The nook was additionally harmful, however the Belgian protection managed to clear it, Schranz was solely in a position to stop the counterattack at the price of a yellow card.
Within the forty second minute, Carrasco made a powerful cross to Lukaku from the midway line, the Belgian striker was not in ambush, however in the long run he clumsily put the ball close to the objective.
On the finish of the forty fifth minute, we came upon that there could be forty sixth and forty seventh minutes as effectively, and even earlier than the break. On the finish of the additional time, Slovakia gained one other nook, which was adopted by one other nook kick, the latter of which the Slovaks took little or no, then Kucka headed the ball in, which was the final second of the primary half.
Second half
Not one of the head coaches modified in the course of the break, the second half began with De Bruyne’s kick-off. The primary notable occasion was Haraslin’s shot within the forty seventh minute, who broke in from the left wing and tried to twist the ball close to the submit, nevertheless it additionally missed the objective.
Within the 52nd minute, Vavro tried a shot from 40 meters. It wasn’t fully protected, however in the long run the ball landed simply vast of the objective.
fifty fifth minute, Lukaku was in a position to shoot from contained in the 16-yard field, from a compelled angle, discovered the objective, Dubravka saved. The nook was taken in a small manner, Onana headed it again to the middle, the place Lukaku was ready for the ball and directed it into the objective. The scoreboard confirmed 1-1 for a short while, however the video referee decided that the Belgian striker was offside, and the objective was disallowed.
58th minute, the primary substitution of the match, the match ended for Mangala with a yellow card, and he was changed by PSV’s Bakayoko. After the substitution, De Bruyne handed to Lukaku, who performed the ball in entrance of Trossard, the Belgian attacker’s robust shot was deflected to the aspect by Dubravka.
61st minute, the Belgian stress continued, Doku would have given it in, nevertheless it was cleared for a nook. After the fast nook, Carrasco reduce the ball into the block, the Slovaks tried to counter, however Belgium recovered the ball. One other lengthy ball got here within the path of Lukaku, who was in a position to shoot, however solely hit the aspect netting.
62nd minute, an enormous likelihood was missed, Doku centered once more, Dubravka knocked him out, however to the middle, the place Bakayoko hit him, who could not shoot the ball into the objective, he already received previous the goalkeeper, however Hancko saved from the objective line! The defender of the Slovaks was sprawled within the objective, the sport stopped.
After an extended Belgian ball motion, Duda felt that he may rating the ball with a slip, nevertheless it hit Onana, and Belgium was awarded a free kick. De Bruyne crossed it already within the 68th minute, the Slovakian defenders pointed it out.
Within the 69th minute, Bozenik fought alone within the ring of Belgian defenders for a ahead reduce ball, after which fell to the bottom, the place Onana apparently stepped on him. This was Bozenik’s final transfer, he got here down and was changed by Strelec. In addition they changed Haraslin, who was changed by Suslov.
The Slovaks gave the ball away in their very own half within the 72nd minute, however though the Belgian attackers have been outnumbered, they have been unable to shoot.
One other Belgian substitution adopted, within the 74th minute Trossard jogged off and was changed by Tielemans. The midfielder rapidly received on the scoresheet, receiving a yellow card within the 76th minute for blocking a Slovakian counterattack by sliding in. After the free kick, the Slovaks rapidly received to the Belgian objective, Schranz put it flat within the center, Strelec may have scored with a nook, however the ball bounced into the nook. The Belgians defended this, after which one other Slovakian cross got here, however that did not trigger any issues for the defenders both.
78th minute, the Slovaks attacked energetically, once more Schranz-Strelec was the ball’s route, the latter shot poorly. A minute later, the Belgians assault, after an extended serve, Carrasco shot, nevertheless it was blocked by a defender. The nook was deflected by De Bruyne onto the pinnacle of Onana, who nodded vast of the objective.
Scorer Schranz performed 81 minutes, Duris took his place.
Within the 83rd minute, Slovakia may kick a nook, Suslov’s ball got here in dangerously, nevertheless it was dominated out, as was the replay. Belgium then modified two, Doku and Carrasco went down, Openda and Lukebakio arrived.
After Tielemans, Lukebakio additionally received a yellow card instantly after approaching, kicking Hanck contained in the Slovak penalty space.
Within the 87th minute, Openda handed the ball again from the baseline, Lukaku shot it into the objective with the within left. Belgium equalized once more, however the referee reviewed the incident and later disallowed this objective as effectively, this time as a result of Openda hit the ball together with his hand earlier than the cross. The Slovak management remained.
The referee prolonged 7 minutes, the additional time began with a Belgian nook, however Dubravka tapped in. The returned ball was shot vast by Bakayoko. Within the 92nd minute, Lukaku would have served Openda, however Dubravka received there first and received the ball. A minute later one other cross from Openda arrived, this time he discovered De Bruyne, who arrived within the second wave, who pushed him a number of instances, then shot from his lengthy decrease half, however Dubravka saved it.
Duda needed to be nursed, the match was over for him, Obert arrived in his place on the finish of the 94th minute. Within the remaining minutes, the Belgians desperately pushed the ball ahead, however they might not be harmful for the Slovakian objective, in actual fact, Slovakia even launched a counterattack, however they didn’t attain the objective both. The Belgians then had sufficient energy for 2 ahead kicks, however to no avail, Slovakia kicked them out and surprisingly gained the match.
