France secured a narrow win but there was no escape for Belgium, who suffered a loss in the hands of Slovakia.
Things took a different turn on day four of the UEFA Euro 2024 as all three winners kept clean sheet in their respective games.
It started with Romania, who secured their first win in the tournament since 2012 in a shocking 3-0 win over Ukraine in Munich.
Another shocking result followed as Belgium suffered first defeat under Domenico Tedesco while France needed an own goal to edge Austria in the final game of the day.
We take a recap of the events that took place across Germany on Monday, from Romania’s clinical class to the tidy end to things.
Romania secured biggest Euro win
In an unusual circumstance, Romania humbled Ukraine to put an end to a run of three straight defeats in this fixture, which included a penalty shootout win in February 2011.
Eduard Iordanescu’s side took the lead a minute before the half-hour mark in a sensational but unusual fashion. A poor clearance by Andriy Lunin from a back pass fell to Dennis Man, who switched to to Nicolae Stanciu to unleash a one-time volley that rifled into the roof of the net.
It was a frustrating moment for Ukraine, who had dominated proceedings up to that point. Unfortunately, their nightmare was only starting.
Romania’s lead was doubled eight minutes after the restart. Man was again involved but Razvan Marin fired a low but hard shot beyond Lunin to add to the lead, after the latter momentarily lost possession of the ball.
Romania completed a 3-0 win three minutes before the hour-mark, as Dennis Man bagged his second assist of the game to set-up Denis Dragus as they achieved Romania’s biggest win in Euro finals.
Romania did so having had just 29 per cent of possession, the lowest of any side in European Championship history. Despite their dominance, Ukraine failed to create any clear-cut chance and their campaign in Germany got off to a worst start possible.
Slovakia earned first-ever win over a sorry Belgium
Belgium fell to their first-ever defeat under Domenico Tedesco in a shocking 1-0 loss to Slovakia, whom they had not lost to before their meeting in Euro 2024.
Ivan Schranz scored the only goal from a Jeremy Doku’s error in the seventh minute, and the Red Devils chased it all game but fell short in the end.
The Manchester City winger lost possession across his own box and it eventually fell to Juraj Kucka, whose shot was parried by Doen Casteels but into the path of Schranz to finish for his third international goal.
Romelu Lukaku was guilty of missing a couple of big chances but the big striker also had two goals ruled out by the VAR, the first for offside and the other for a Ikoma Lois Openda handball in the build-up.
It finished in a 1-0 loss to Belgium, who has now missed each of their last 11 big chances in major tournaments, scoreless and winless in their last three games in those games.
Up next for Belgium is a meeting with surprise group leader Romania, who could secure their ticket to the next round if Slovakia win or draw in the other group game with Ukraine.
Unlucky Austria beaten by France
It was not the easy game anticipated by the French but it ended with the result they wanted. A win.Maximilian Wöber headed a Kylian Mbappé cross into his own net for the only goal of the game.
Of course a lot of other chances were created during the course of the game, with Kylian Mbappé and Antoine Griezmann guilty of missing for the 2000 winner while Christopher Baumgartner also missed a couple for Burschen.
Kylian Mbappé suffered a broken nose while Griezmann was also an injury casualty as N’Golo Kanté ran the show on the night in Düsseldorf.
France moves second behind the Netherlands on goal scored and as both face-off in second round of games, Austria will battle Poland for a chance to keep their qualification hopes alive.
