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Victor Petkov
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Slovakia shocks Belgium, two Lukaku goals ruled off by VAR
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The Red Devils left empty-handed in Euro 2024 opener

Slovakia produced the first shock of Euro 2024 with a surprising 1-0 victory over Belgium in Frankfurt. The decisive moment came early in the match when Ivan Schranz scored in the seventh minute, securing a famous win against the European heavyweight.

Belgium had the better start, with early chances from Romelu Lukaku and Jeremy Doku. However, a mistake by Doku led to the only goal of the game. Near the corner flag and under minimal pressure, Doku made a poor pass into the area, which Slovakia quickly capitalized on. Koen Casteels managed to parry Juraj Kucka’s shot, but Schranz was on hand to slot home the rebound for his fourth international goal.

In the second half, Belgium looked more dangerous with Doku and Leandro Trossard switching flanks. The Red Devils thought they had equalized in the 56th minute when Lukaku headed past Martin Dubravka, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR check showed Lukaku was offside.

Lukaku appeared to have finally equalized in the 86th minute, but VAR intervened once more. Replays showed that Lois Openda handled the ball in the buildup, and after the referee reviewed the incident on the pitchside monitor, the goal was disallowed, leaving Lukaku and Belgium in disbelief.

This victory puts Slovakia in a strong position in Group E, while Belgium will need to regroup and bounce back in their next matches.