Slovakia shocked Belgium 1-0 in the first major upset at Euro 2024 on Monday after having a pair of Romelu Lukaku goals nullified, while Romania ended a 24-year winning drought at the tournament with an emphatic 3-0 win over Ukraine.
Belgium's Jeremy Doku gifted Slovakia the seventh-minute winner from Ivan Schranz in Frankfurt.
Lukaku missed several chances, had one goal in the 56th disallowed for offside and another in the 87th because Lois Openda was adjudged to have handled the ball in the build-up, leaving playmaker Kevin De Bruyne to lament that "we would have deserved victory."
Slovakia held on for a famous win as they handed Belgium a first defeat in the 15th match since Domenico Tedesco became coach in February 2023.
It was an early setback for the ambitious Red Devils, who have zero points in Group E and must fear a group-stage exit like at the 2022 World Cup.
They next have a Saturday date with Romania, who were all over sentimental favourites Ukraine and won in Munich from Nicolae Stanciu in the 30th, Răzvan Marin in the 53rd and Denis Drăguş four minutes later - all set up by Dennis Man.
Romania celebrated their biggest win at a men's major event and only a second at the Euros from 17 matches in their fifth participation. The only previous victory was a 3-2 win over England in 2000 when they reached the quarter-finals.
Belgium shocked after missing twice
Belgium were in the quarters at the last two Euros and started full of purpose in Frankfurt, with Lukaku denied by goalkeeper Martin Dubravka two minutes into the game and pushed wide by the keeper shortly after.
But the shock soon came when Manchester City's Doku played a terrible pass into his own penalty area. Schranz pounced and back-heeled to Juraj Kucka whose shot was saved by Koen Casteels, but the ball fell for Schranz to slot home from a tight left angle.
The next howler came in the 21st when Dubravka played the ball straight at Belgium's Leandro Trossard, who however fired over the bar.
Lukaku misses and has two goals disallowed
Belgium stepped up their efforts after the break, and, after missing further chances, Lukaku finally slid in to convert from close range in the 56th. But the widely celebrated goal was nullified because he was offside.
Substitute Johan Bakayoko's shot was cleared on the goal-line by David Hancko, and Belgium's agony was complete when Lukaku's stunning drive into the top left corner was also ruled out upon video review for Openda's handball.
The win will make Slovakia dream of making the last 16 as in their debut in 2016, and they can take a big step on Friday if they are able to follow up against Ukraine.
"It's a huge victory. 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," Dubravka said. "Now we have to recover well and get ready for the next game."
Tedesco conceded he knew "that eventually we would lose a game. Unfortunately it was today. 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."
Ukraine goalkeeper sets Romania on course
Ukraine qualified despite the ongoing Russian invasion of their country and playing their home games elsewhere. Coach Serhiy Rebrov and his players have stressed that they were playing for the people fighting for their country and that football is not the priority at the moment.
But the nation had nothing to cheer on the field of play when a first howler of the day started their downfall against Romania.
Man latched onto a terrible pass from Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin and set up Man of the Match Staciu for the important lead at the half-hour mark.
And it didn't take Romania long in the second half to clinch matters.
Marin finished off a fast counter-attack and the ball flashed under the diving Lunin in the 53rd. And just four minutes later, Man dribbled through the Ukrainian defence to set up Drăguş, who poked the ball into the net.
Romania delight in historic win
"It's a memorable victory, a historic victory for the Romanian people, at least that's how I have felt it," Romania coach Edward Iordănescu said.
Stanciu said: "It's a second victory overall in the Euros and we're happy to be part of history. [The support] was unique, we've never felt anything like this before."
Ukraine captain Taras Stepanenko said: "We we were punished immediately for the first mistake ... I'm really disappointed with our performance. Today, we were not the team we always were. Romania deserved this win, and we have to keep going."
