Belgium Stumbles in Euros! Lukaku Denied Twice by VAR, Doku’s Error Gifts Shocking Goal
Belgium’s Euro campaign got off to a nightmare start as they were stunned by Slovakia 1-0 in Frankfurt. Despite Romelu Lukaku putting the ball in the net on two occasions, both goals were chalked off by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), leaving the Belgian talisman frustrated.
The Red Devils’ woes began early on when a careless giveaway from Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku allowed Ivan Schranz to slot home for Slovakia in the 7th minute. Lukaku, Belgium’s all-time leading scorer, thought he’d equalized later in the game, but a controversial handball call against substitute Lois Openda in the build-up saw his goal disallowed.
However, Belgium boss Domenico Tedesco refused to lay blame on either Lukaku or Doku. “We’re all honest,” Tedesco said, defending Lukaku. “[He] knows how to score. Tonight he did, but they didn’t count.” Tedesco emphasized his support for the striker, “[If] he needs anything, I’m here for him.”
Doku, who impressed with his attacking play throughout the match, was left dejected after his early error. Tedesco acknowledged the youngster’s disappointment, stating, “Of course it hurts… It’s part of the game.” The manager offered encouragement, “You won’t score without errors, it happens. Slovakia had them too. This is just football.”
Tedesco also remained diplomatic regarding the VAR decisions, refusing to criticize the technology despite the disallowed goal. “We trust those guys,” he said. “If they say handball, that’s it.”
Belgium will have to regroup quickly as they face a critical match against their rivals, [insert next opponent], later this week.
