A goal by Youri Tielemans after 73 seconds and a late one for Kevin De Bruyne gave Belgium a 2-0 win over Romania in an incredible, action-packed game on Saturday that set up a final round showdown with all four teams in Group E on three points.
It was a Euro 2024 Saturday night special played in an astonishing atmosphere in Cologne, with the only mystery being how there were only two goals.
It meant that, for the first time in European Championship history, all four teams in a group are on equal points after two rounds, following Ukraine's 2-1 win over Slovakia on Friday. All outcomes are now available on the final night on Wednesday when Belgium play Ukraine and Slovakia play Romania, where four points could be enough to top the group but could also see a team eliminated.
Romania and Belgium have the advantage with a plus-one goal difference. Slovakia are on zero and Ukraine on -2 - with those goal differences the deciding factor should both games end level.
“We were very relieved we won the game, it was very important to get three points,” said Domenico Tedesco.
"Romania gave us a bit more space that Slovakia but with the quality and quantity of our chances it would have been good if we could have scored more early on - four or five goals tonight would have been possible."
Belgium, still somehow ranked third in the world by FIFA, were unrecognisable from the sluggish side shocked by Slovakia in their opening game, pouring forward and full of energy from the first whistle.
It paid dividends immediately as Romelu Lukaku held up the ball with his back to goal before rolling it into the path of Tielemans, who drilled home a crisp, low shot.
Four minutes later Romania went close with a header by Radu Dragusin that Koen Casteels saved well, but it was a brief respite as Belgium ran the first-half show.
Dodi Lukebakio’s fierce shot was well saved by Florin Nita after a trademark carving run by man of the match De Bruyne, while Lukebakio and Amadou Onana both blazed over.
It seemed only a matter of time before they scored again, but Romania weathered the storm and, knowing how they struck so devastatingly on the counter to beat Ukraine, did not panic.
Their fans certainly stayed behind them, helping create an amazing atmosphere as noise rained down from all four stands.
