Romania, Belgium and Slovakia advanced into last 16 at Euro 2024 on Wednesday while Ukraine lost out on goal difference as the first team to go out with four points since the event was played in its current format.
In an unprecedented scenario all four Group E teams finished level on points after Belgium and Ukraine drew 0-0 in Stuttgart and Romania and Slovakia 1-1 in rainy Frankfurt.
Belgium had the better chances but always had to be alert because a Ukraine victory could have eliminated them.
Romelu Lukaku came close twice and Yannick Carrasco also threatened while Ukraine's best chances were an almost directly converted corner kick from Ruslan Malinvoskyi with 10 minutes left and a stoppage time effort from Georgiy Sudakov.
There had been speculation that Romania and Slovakia would settle for a draw from the outset because it would send both through, regardless of the outcome of the other match.
But both camps dismissed this, and Ondrej Duda headed Slovakia ahead in the 24th. Razvan Marin levelled from the penalty spot 13 minutes later, and both sides had chances to win it.
Romania won the group with 4-3 goals to Belgium's 2-1, with Slovakia on 3-3 and Ukraine out on 2-4 because they finished last - despite garnering more points than other teams that advanced.
Romania move into a last-16 date with a third-place finisher, Kevin De Bruyne's Belgium face a intriguing duel with Kylian Mbappe's France, and Slovakia's opponent is not known either.
