Belgium faces an uphill battle to avoid an early exit from Euro 2024 following a surprising 1-0 defeat to Slovakia in their Group E opener. Domenico Tedesco's team now confronts a must-win situation against Romania in Cologne, knowing another loss could see them on the brink of elimination from the tournament. Their hopes of advancing as one of the best third-placed teams are also hanging by a thread.
The loss to Slovakia has highlighted Belgium's struggles to capitalize on their potential, with Romelu Lukaku's missed opportunities and a controversial VAR decision denying them a late equalizer compounding their woes. Despite their status as part of a once-promising golden generation, Belgium has failed to live up to expectations since their quarterfinal exits in recent major tournaments, including the 2022 World Cup.
Tedesco, who took over from Roberto Martinez last year, had led Belgium on an impressive unbeaten streak heading into Euro 2024, but the defeat to Slovakia has prompted introspection among the squad. With key players like Kevin De Bruyne and Jan Vertonghen acknowledging the urgency of the situation, Belgium must regroup swiftly and rediscover their scoring touch against Romania, who themselves are eyeing a place in the last 16 with a victory over the Red Devils.
Belgium's veteran core understands that time is running out to achieve international success, emphasizing the need for a clinical approach against a Romanian side buoyed by their recent win over Ukraine. The pressure is mounting on Lukaku and company to deliver a convincing performance and keep their Euro 2024 campaign alive amidst growing skepticism about their ability to compete at the highest level.
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