Youri Tielemans scored after just two minutes of Belgium’s second group game of Euro 2024, as they beat Romania 2-0.
Having started on the bench in his country’s first game of the tournament in which Belgium suffered a shock defeat to Slovakia, Youri Tielemans was brought into the line-up against Romania.
It was a crucial game for the Belgians – who are at the tail end of their ‘Golden Generation’ – with Romania having won their first group game as Belgium suffered defeat.
Kevin De Bruyne made sure of the three points with the second goal in the 79th-minute after Tielemans had been replaced, but the Aston Villa man was impressive as his country got their Euros campaign going.
Belgian media impressed with Aston Villa’s Youri Tielemans
Tielemans has an impressive 69 caps for Belgium despite being 27.
Across those appearances he has scored eight goals and provided a further ten assists, but the early strike against Romania was the Villa man’s first goal in a major tournament.
Belgian media were pleased with what they saw from the midfielder, with both Walfoot and 7Sur7 rating his performance an eight out of ten.
Walfoot commented, translated into English: ‘Tielemans in No. 8 at the Devils, it was never our cup of tea… but today, he played almost second 10 alongside Kevin De Bruyne, and that works.
He unlocked the Euro of the Devils with a strike, as announced, and also distilled the light openings.’
Whilst 7Sur7 were even more complimentary, labelling Tielemans the ‘missing link’ and saying: ‘The midfielder flourished in this role of relay between Onana and De Bruyne.
His projections were very effective, and he also shone defensively with some valuable feedback. The Aston Villa player has certainly won his starting place’
Tielemans earns start for Belgium’s crucial final group game
As 7Sur7 stated, Tielemans should now start again in Belgium’s final group game against Ukraine on Wednesday.
Group E is extremely competitive, with all four sides having won one of their two games so far meaning all four teams are on three points and have qualification in their own hands going into the final games.
The shock defeat Belgium suffered to Slovakia threw the group wide open, but the Slovaks themselves lost to Ukraine on Friday.
Belgium will be confident they can beat a Ukraine side that Romania beat 3-0, but after being stung by Slovakia they will be taking nothing for granted.
One thing is for certain, though, and that is that we should see Tielemans start on Wednesday evening after his goalscoring display against Romania.
The post 'Certainly': How Belgian media reacted to Aston Villa star Youri Tielemans display v Romania at Euro 2024 appeared first on Aston Villa News.