The 2024 Euros have brought about some truly surprising results, with Romania securing their first win in the competition in decades by defeating Ukraine 3-0. This victory marked only the second time in history that Romania has won a game at the Euros, with the previous success being a group stage triumph over England in Euro 2000. Dennis Man played a crucial role in this historic win, becoming the first Romanian to provide two assists in a major tournament match since Gheorghe Hagi’s performance against Colombia at the 1994 World Cup. Additionally, Romania’s three-goal margin over Ukraine was their largest-ever victory at the Euros, demonstrating the team’s strength and resilience in the tournament.
On the other hand, Belgium faced a major setback in their campaign as they suffered a 0-1 defeat to Slovakia. The gap in FIFA World Rankings between the two teams was significant, with 45 places separating Belgium (3rd) and Slovakia (48th). Romelu Lukaku, a key player for Belgium, experienced a series of missed opportunities in the match, with two goals overturned by VAR and three big chances squandered. Despite accumulating 5.94 xG across their last three major tournament games, Belgium has failed to convert any of their last 47 shots on goal, highlighting their inefficiency in front of the net. This defeat raises questions about Belgium’s ability to perform under pressure in crucial matches.
Meanwhile, favorites France began their Euro 2024 campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Austria. The lone goal of the match came from an own goal by Maximilian Wober in the first half. This win marked Didier Deschamps’ 100th victory as the manager of the French national team, further solidifying his position as one of the most successful coaches in French football history. However, the victory was overshadowed by Kylian Mbappe’s unfortunate injury, as he was forced to leave the game with a broken nose. Mbappe’s absence could potentially have a significant impact on France’s performance in the tournament, given his impressive goal-scoring record and influence on the team’s attacking play.
Several key statistics emerged from the Euro 2024 action on June 17th. The most notable of these include Romania’s victory despite only having 29% possession of the ball, Belgium’s failure to score in their last 47 shots on goal in major tournaments, and France’s unbeaten streak of 10 consecutive Euro openers. N’Golo Kante’s increased playing time for France in recent weeks, Olivier Giroud’s historic achievement of representing France in seven major international tournaments, and Mbappe’s absence due to injury are factors that could potentially influence the outcomes of future matches in the competition.
The Euro 2024 tournament has already provided fans with plenty of shocks and surprises, setting the stage for an exciting and unpredictable competition. The performances of underdog teams like Romania, the struggles of tournament favorites such as Belgium, and the injury concerns for key players like Mbappe all contribute to the drama and intrigue of the event. As the competition progresses, it will be interesting to see how these storylines develop and impact the eventual outcome of the tournament.