Goals from Youri Tielemans and Kevin De Bruyne saw Belgium beat Romania 2-0 to top Group E at UEFA Euro 2024.
Tielemans fired Belgium ahead after just 74 seconds as he rifled in from Romelu Lukaku’s lay-off pass.
De Bruyne doubled their lead with a 80th minute strike which put Domenico Tedesco’s Belgian Red Devils top from Romania, with Slovakia sat third after they lost 2-1 to rock-bottom Ukraine in their second group match.
Belgium will now meet Ukraine whilst Romania face Slovakia in a pair of winners-takes-all showdowns on Wednesday 26 June at 6pm CEST (5pm UK Time).
Across in Group F, Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes fired Portugal through to the knockout stages as Group F winners in a 3-0 win over Turkey, during which Turkey’s Samet Akaydin scored a calamitous own-goal.
Georgia and Czech Republic kept their knockout hopes alive with a 1-1 draw in which Georges Mikautadze’s penalty was cancelled out by Czech’s Patrik Schick.
Following their shock defeat to Slovakia, Belgium made four changes with Youri Tielemans amongst four players brought into the starting line-up.
That gamble quickly paid off barely 74 seconds into the game as a segment of quick free-flowing passes ended with Lukaku teeing up Tielemans to calmly rifle in beyond Florin Nita’s grasp.
Romania however cranked up the tempo and almost drew level in the fifth minute but Andrei Burca’s header was flicked over by Koen Casteels.
The following minutes became frantically end-to-end which became typical of the first half with Belgium enjoying the better opportunities, during which Dodi Lukebakio’s 18th minute curled shot was saved by Nita.
Romania however saw 24th minute penalty appeals snubbed after Valentin Mihaila broke forward from a corner, but he was brought down on the edge of the box with Romania’s complaints waved away by referee – Szymon Marciniak.
Belgium eventually did enough to protect their lead into half-time despite wasted chances to extend their lead, whilst Romania continued to threaten but Burca headed wide from a 45th minute corner.
Denis Man and Mihaila were straight out of the blocks early in the second half but fired wide for Romania, whilst De Bruyne missed a chance to double Belgium’s lead as he curled wide of the bottom right corner in the 52nd minute.
Belgium found their second goal in the 63rd minute as Lukaku pounced upon De Bruyne’s 63rd minute through-ball and fired in past Nita, yet his latest effort was disallowed due to offside.
De Bruyne eventually doubled Belgium’s lead himself with a 80th minute strike after he pounced upon a loose defensive error to beat Radu Dragusin and rifle in past Nita.
Romania almost were made to further pay for sloppy defending four minutes later as Belgium substitute, Leandro Trossard got up the right, but the Arsenal star blasted over the bar, when De Bruyne was free for a potential tap-in to grab a second goal for himself.
Denis Alibec almost pulled a goal back for Romania in the 85th minute after he chipped Casteels but Timothy Castagne cleared his shot off the line.
Belgium ultimately clung on for their first win of the tournament to set up a blockbuster final round of Group E matches, with all four teams locked on three points apiece after two matches.
Teams
Belgium – Koen Casteels, Arthur Theate (Debast 77′), Jan Vertonghen, Wout Faes, Timothy Castagne, Amadou Onana, Youri Tielemans (Mangala 72′), Jeremy Doku (Carrasco 72′), Kevin De Bruyne, Dodi Lukebakio (Trossard 56′), Romelu Lukaku
Substitutes: Johan Bakayoko, Maxim De Cuyper, Charles De Ketelaere, Zeno Debast, Yannick Carrasco, Thomas Kaminski, Orel Mangala, Lois Openda, Matz Sels, Leandro Trossard, Arthur Vermeeren, Aster Vranckx
Romania – Florin Nita, Nicusor Bancu, Andrei Burca, Radu Dragusin, Andrei Ratiu (Sorescu 90′), Marius Marin (Olaru 68′), Valentin Mihaila (Hagi 68′), Nicolae Stanciu, Razvan Marin, Dennis Man, Denis Dragus (Alibec 81′)
Substitutes: Denis Alibec, Daniel Birligea, Alexandru Cicaldau, Florinel Coman, Darius Olaru, Ianis Hagi, Vasile Mogos, Horatiu Moldovan, Ionut Nedelcearu, George Puscas, Bogdan Racovitan, Adrian Rus, Deian Sorescu, Stefan Tarnovanu, Adrian Sut