Slovakia secured one of the biggest shocks in European Championship history when they defeated Belgium 1-0 after a controversial Group E clash in Frankfurt on Monday.
Ivan Schranz's first-half goal, after an error from Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku, turned out to be the winner as Slovakia, 48th in the Fifa rankings, sealed victory over a Belgian side ranked third in the world.
For Belgium's record goalscorer Lukaku, it was a night he will want to forget as the striker saw two goals disallowed after VAR checks and the forward – who has just spent a season on loan at Serie A side Roma from Premier League Chelsea – missed numerous other good chances.
The defeat brought Belgium's 15-match unbeaten run to an end and means they will have to pick themselves up quickly for the second game against Romania – who hammered Ukraine 3-0 earlier in the day – on Saturday.
“I knew that eventually we would lose a game. Unfortunately it was today,” said Belgium manager Domenico Tedesco. “There's not much I can tell the team to improve, we created many chances, and had we scored it would have been an easier game.
“The only thing that we didn't do well was missing chances. We had plenty. It's part of the game. Of course the players were disappointed.”
Doku had caused early chaos in the Slovakia defence with his surging runs forward, two of which could and should have ended with goals for Lukaku.
The first saw him fire straight at Martin Dubravka from close range with the goal at his mercy. The next saw the striker round the Slovakia goalkeeper but push the ball too wide with Leandro Trossard taking possession but his eventual cross flew straight into Dubravka's hands – much to Lukaku's evident frustration.
Within minutes, Belgium had been made to pay for Lukaku's wastefulness after a dreadful error from Doku led to the opening goal.
The winger gave away possession trying to play the ball back into his own penalty area from outside and while Koen Casteels saved the first effort from Juraj Kucka, the rebound fell to Schranz who finished well from a tight angle.
There were chances at both ends just before the break. Slovakia nearly went 2-0 up when Casteels produced a superb one-handed save to turn away Lukas Haraslin's volley from inside the penalty area.
Then Lukaku wasted a third opportunity when he was put clear by Yannick Carrasco's ball over the top but the 31-year-old's first touch was poor and the ball flew past Dubravka and harmlessly wide.
Ten minutes after the break and another chance for Lukaku, this time firing a shot straight at Dubravka who parried out. From the resulting short corner, Amadou Onana headed the cross down at tge back post and Lukaku finally found the back of the bet at the fifth time of asking, only for VAR to rule him narrowly offside.
The Belgium pressure was now relentless. In a few manic minutes, Dubravka saved well from Trossard, Lukaka volleyed into the side netting from an acute angle with attempt No 6, while David Hancko brilliantly blocked a shot from substitute Johan Bakayoko on the line.
But it looked like Slovakia's brave effort was going to fall agonisingly short when Belgium appeared to have levelled the scores with four minutes to go.
Lois Openda, who has just come off the bench, did superbly down the left before finding Lukaku who found the back of the net for a second time. But once again VAR was to intervene, this time ruling Openda had handled the ball before racing down the left to cross for the luckless Lukaku.
And so Slovakia were able to hang for three points to beat Belgium for the first big shock of Euro 2024 and leave the Red Devils with a mountain to climb if they want to reach the knockout stages.
“It's a huge victory,” said Slovakia keeper Dubravka, who plies his club trade at English side Newcastle United. “We worked hard to do that and fought until the end. You need to be a little bit lucky in the games like this, but we were. It's an amazing victory.
“When we are a good team, we can deal with individuality. We came into the tournament great and that will give us plenty of strength. Now we have to recover well and get ready for the next game [against Ukraine on Friday].”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
MATCH INFO
Qalandars 109-3 (10ovs)
Salt 30, Malan 24, Trego 23, Jayasuriya 2-14
Bangla Tigers (9.4ovs)
Fletcher 52, Rossouw 31
Bangla Tigers win by six wickets
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More on Quran memorisation:
Episode list:
Ep1: A recovery like no other- the unevenness of the economic recovery
Ep2: PCR and jobs - the future of work - new trends and challenges
Ep3: The recovery and global trade disruptions - globalisation post-pandemic
Ep4: Inflation- services and goods - debt risks
Ep5: Travel and tourism
More on animal trafficking
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
How to come clean about financial infidelity
- Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
- Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help.
- Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
- Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
- Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported.
Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
More from Neighbourhood Watch
The five pillars of Islam
The five pillars of Islam
Zayed Sustainability Prize
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
EA%20Sports%20FC%2024
%3Cp%3EDeveloper%3A%20EA%20Vancouver%2C%20EA%20Romania%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20EA%20Sports%3Cbr%3EConsoles%3A%20Nintendo%20Switch%2C%20PlayStation%204%26amp%3B5%2C%20PC%20and%20Xbox%20One%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
More from Neighbourhood Watch
What is a black hole?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Martin Sabbagh profile
Job: CEO JCDecaux Middle East
In the role: Since January 2015
Lives: In the UAE
Background: M&A, investment banking
Studied: Corporate finance
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Astra%20Tech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMarch%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbdallah%20Abu%20Sheikh%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20technology%20investment%20and%20development%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20size%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24500m%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
More coverage from the Future Forum
Crazy Rich Asians
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeon, Gemma Chan
Four stars
Credit Score explained
What is a credit score?
In the UAE your credit score is a number generated by the Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), which represents your credit worthiness – in other words, your risk of defaulting on any debt repayments. In this country, the number is between 300 and 900. A low score indicates a higher risk of default, while a high score indicates you are a lower risk.
Why is it important?
Financial institutions will use it to decide whether or not you are a credit risk. Those with better scores may also receive preferential interest rates or terms on products such as loans, credit cards and mortgages.
How is it calculated?
The AECB collects information on your payment behaviour from banks as well as utilitiy and telecoms providers.
How can I improve my score?
By paying your bills on time and not missing any repayments, particularly your loan, credit card and mortgage payments. It is also wise to limit the number of credit card and loan applications you make and to reduce your outstanding balances.
How do I know if my score is low or high?
By checking it. Visit one of AECB’s Customer Happiness Centres with an original and valid Emirates ID, passport copy and valid email address. Liv. customers can also access the score directly from the banking app.
How much does it cost?
A credit report costs Dh100 while a report with the score included costs Dh150. Those only wanting the credit score pay Dh60. VAT is payable on top.
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Brief scores:
Everton 0
Leicester City 1
Vardy 58'
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Race 3
Produced: Salman Khan Films and Tips Films
Director: Remo D’Souza
Cast: Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Bobby Deol, Daisy Shah, Saqib Salem
Rating: 2.5 stars
Rashid & Rajab
Director: Mohammed Saeed Harib
Stars: Shadi Alfons, Marwan Abdullah, Doaa Mostafa Ragab
Two stars out of five
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
