Belgium suffer shock Euro 2024 defeat as Romelu Lukaku endures nightmare

Romelu Lukaku had two goals chalked off for infringements as Belgium slumped to a shock 1-0 defeat to Slovakia at Euro 2024 on Monday.

A loose pass across his own penalty area from Manchester City's Jeremy Doku allowed Ivan Schranz to tee up Robert Bozenik, who saw his first-time shot parried away by Belgium goalkeeper Koen Casteels.

But the ball fell kindly for Schranz, who was just played onside by Leicester City's Wout Faes, and he rifled home on the volley from an acute angle to put Slovakia ahead after seven minutes.

Romelu Lukaku, who looks set to return to Chelsea this summer as he seeks a permanent transfer away from Stamford Bridge, had already missed a golden chance to put Belgium ahead, as he contrived to fire straight at Martin Dubravka from close range after good play from Doku and Kevin De Bruyne.

Lukaku missed another glorious chance just before the half-time interval, firing the ball wide when through one-on-one with Dubravka, and the 30-year-old's day went from bad to worse as he had a goal ruled out for offside.

Leandro Trossard's cross to the back post was headed back across goal by Amadou Onana, allowing Lukaku the simplest of tasks to tap home. But he'd just crept beyond the ball and Slovakia's backline - VAR's semi-automated offside system quickly determining that he was offside.

Casteels had previously made a great save to keep the deficit down to one, but it was all action at the other end as Belgium desperately sought an equaliser.

Trossard had a first-time shot parried away by Dubravka after combining well with Lukaku, before Johan Bakayoko's effort was somehow scrambled off the line by David Hancko.

Slovakia triumphed thanks to Schranz's strike | Sebastian Frej/MB Media/GettyImages

Belgium continued to press for an equaliser - Onana heading De Bruyne's corner wide - but were handed further heartbreak by the officials two minutes from time as Lukaku became the first player to have two goals ruled out in a European Championship match.

Lois Openda picked out Lukaku in the area after a surging run, but the prolific RB Leipzig striker was adjudged to have handled the ball in the build-up.

Slovakia, ranked 48th in the world, held on from there, beating third-ranked Belgium to blow open Group E.

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This article was originally published on www.90min.com as Belgium suffer shock Euro 2024 defeat as Romelu Lukaku endures nightmare.