Belgian joy in the face of Swedish apathy. Panoramic.
TOPS/FLOPS – The Lukaku-Lukebakio duo in great shape, the start of the Czech match or the weakness of the Poles and Swedes… Find the tops and flops of the multiplex of the 1st day of the Euro 2024 qualifiers.
TOPS
Le duo Lukaku-Lukebakio
The Belgian Red Devils largely defeated Sweden 3-0 on Friday evening thanks in particular to an attacking festival from the Lukaku-Lukebakio duo which made the amorphous Swedish defense dizzy. Belgium got off to a flying start in qualifying for Euro 2024 and Romelu Lukaku regained his confidence with a hat-trick. He who had not scored with the Belgium jersey since October 7, 2021, against France (2-3 defeat for the Belgians) in the semi-finals of the League of Nations. The young striker from Hertha Berlin gave him two assists, on his team’s first two goals and was at ease in the opposing defense which he was able to maneuver during his 61 minutes on the lawn.
The start of the Czech match
We should not arrive late for this meeting between the Czech Republic and Poland. And for good reason, after 3 minutes of play, the Czechs were already leading 2-0 thanks to a header from Krejci and a heel from Cvancara. The rest of the match was only a formality for the locals who were not put in much danger by the Poles.
Read alsoEuro 2024 qualifiers: a great Lukaku leads Belgium, Greece and Austria
FLOPS
Swedish weakness
Sweden have not shown many positive signs, except under the leadership of Dejan Kulusevski who has been dangerous several times. Alexander Isak was ghostly and Emil Forsberg too unsuccessful to worry a serious Belgian defense. The defense of Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s partners also showed little more than signs of weakness, against a Lukaku in great shape and surprisingly often alone (like on the third goal). If the Swedes want to qualify for the Euro, it will be necessary to do much better and in particular against Austria in this group F.
Polish 90 Minutes
Poland has accustomed us to better, to much better. Very quickly dominated and led to the score, the Poles never showed signs of revolt in a meeting logically lost. The leader Robert Lewandowski will have been in the image of his selection, absent and too discreet to win a qualifying match for the Euro on the move. Szymanski’s goal shortly before the end of the match is only an illusion, the last round of 16 of the World Cup in Qatar, more and more worried.