Advertisement
Belgium's Romelu Lukaku. Alamy Stock Photo

VAR makes a martyr out of Romelu Lukaku but Belgium show signs of life

Goals from Youri Tielemans and Kevin De Bruyne earn 2-0 win over Romania, as striker has third goal ruled out.

Belgium 2

Romania 0

VAR HAS MADE a martyr out of Romelu Lukaku.

Poor, unfortunate, perpetually offside Romelu Lukaku. At least in these European Championships.

He is Belgiumโ€™s record scorer, after all, and 85 goals in 117 caps make it hard to feel too sorry for him.

And yet.

Youโ€™d need a heart of stone or the compassion capabilities of the semi-automated offside system thatโ€™s in place for there not to be a flicker of sorrow as yet another marginal call โ€“ correctly โ€“ went against him.

Lukaku was away celebrating in the corner after scoring what he and the half a dozen or so teammates who raced to join him felt was a legitimate goal.

Amadou Onana had won a brilliant tackle in the middle of the park. Youri Tielemans picked up the loose ball and played a quick pass to Kevin De Bruyne to maintain the momentum. His sensationally incisive 30-yard pass along the ground split Romaniaโ€™s defence in two and gave Lukaku a run on goal.

His finish was precise.

It was sharp, it was brilliant, it was ruthless.

But it was offside.

By about the length of Lukakuโ€™s kneecap.

It was the third goal he has had disallowed in two games โ€“ two for offside and one for the slightest of handballs given against a teammate after the new microchip technology came into play in the shock opening Group E defeat to Slovakia.

At least on this occasion the decision didnโ€™t cost Belgium points.

They were comfortable 2-0 winners with Lukaku even turning provider for Tielemans after just 73 seconds before De Bruyne made sure of the victory with a lung-bursting run into the box from a long ball and clinical finish with 10 minutes left.

Lukaku, of course, kept going and was denied with a shot across goal in the last minute of normal time.

Even after yet more VAR heartache the striker persisted; showing to feet, winning flick ons, running into space and doing everything but staying onside when it mattered.

He would be top scorer at these Euros if the finest of margins had been in his favour.

Germanyโ€™s Jamal Musiala, Slovakiaโ€™s Ivan Schranz and Georges Mikautadze of Georgia lead the charts on two goals apiece.

Lukaku, surely, will eventually find the net if Belgium put on a repeat performance against Ukraine on Wednesday.

Itโ€™s a game they must win to guarantee progress and they may yet qualify as group winners having gone into this clash bottom.

Domenico Tedescoโ€™s side needed a response and they delivered.

Belgium started in a manner that made it clear their players were not willing to depart with a whimper.

They werenโ€™t feeling sorry for themselves after the Slovakia defeat โ€“ with the added frustration of those two disallowed goals following VAR checks โ€“ and after 73 seconds they were ahead.

Tielemans was the scorer as well as the instigator with a sliding tackle 30 yards away that regained possession and caught Romania on the hop.

It was a clear indication of the intensity Belgium wanted to bring.

They had started brightly against Slovakia, too, but Lukaku and De Bruyne both fluffed their lines inside the penalty area.

This breakthrough came just outside but the same pair were key to it.

It was De Bruyne who took the ball after Tielemansโ€™ tackle. He fed Doku on the left and the captainโ€™s overlap run created the yard of space for his Manchester City teammate to cut inside.

He found a gap to squeeze a pass into Lukaku.

The strikerโ€™s touch was tight and the second teed up the onrushing Aston Villa midfielder, whose finish was quality through a sea of defenders.

It felt like the floodgates may open, Lukaku scuffing a deflected shot wide on 13 minutes but Romania stayed in the game heading into the break.

Lukaka thought he put the game to bed on 63 minutes only for VAR to intervene, and five minutes later Belgium should have been punished when Dennis Mann had a clear run on goal only for his tame finish to be well saved by Koen Casteels who was outstretched to his left.

De Bruyne eventually threw a comfort blanket over what was turning into a nervy night with the second goal.

Lukakuโ€™s toes would still have been sticking out at the end of it.

Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Begrudgy
    Favourite Begrudgy
    Report
    Nov 25th 2012, 4:59 PM

    Rafa Out banners already. Chants of โ€œf..k off Rafa youโ€™re not welcomeโ€.
    Comedy Gold at the bridge today.

    42
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Graham Kavanagh
    Favourite Graham Kavanagh
    Report
    Nov 25th 2012, 5:27 PM

    Chelsea fans are worlds worstโ€ฆ.. Itโ€™s a privilege to have a manager like Rafaโ€ฆ. Hope rafa takes his money a run, after the treatment he will get from these high class thugsโ€ฆ.

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gamma
    Favourite Gamma
    Report
    Nov 25th 2012, 5:41 PM

    I think itโ€™s more a case of Di Matteo getting sacked. The fans wouldnโ€™t welcome anybody after it. Rafa is just the target of the fans anger when it really should be Abromavich getting the boos

    18
    See 10 more replies โ–พ
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Damian O'keeffe
    Favourite Damian O'keeffe
    Report
    Nov 25th 2012, 6:10 PM

    A minute ago other was because he liked to play 9-0-1.

    Where did you read your latest โ€œopinionโ€?

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gamma
    Favourite Gamma
    Report
    Nov 25th 2012, 6:24 PM

    Jesus Damien give it a rest already. I donโ€™t like the defensive style Rafa uses. shockingly enough thatโ€™s MY OWN opinion. Iโ€™m merely speculating that it wouldnt matter who replaced Di Matteo because he was the man to lead Chelsea to the champs league and FA cup titles last year, and as such is the man the Chelsea fans want to see lead their team

    Now do me a favour and try not to troll over every comment I make. its not my faulty made a tool of yourself earlier on.

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Damian O'keeffe
    Favourite Damian O'keeffe
    Report
    Nov 25th 2012, 6:56 PM

    Yes free flowing football won Chelsea those trophies alright. Itโ€™s obvious you donโ€™t know what youโ€™re talking about.

    Donโ€™t worry itโ€™s not your โ€œfaultyโ€.

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gamma
    Favourite Gamma
    Report
    Nov 25th 2012, 7:09 PM

    The free flowing football I mentioned arrived with the new look midfield of Oscar and Hazard. In case you didnโ€™t know, they werenโ€™t around for the champs league last year.

    Sorry about the typo. Now please go get yourself a life. For a guy that advised me to stop reading newspapers youโ€™re spending a lot of time on here.

    Finally since weโ€™re correcting spelling and grammar, โ€œuโ€ is a letter โ€œyouโ€ is the word you were looking for.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Damian O'keeffe
    Favourite Damian O'keeffe
    Report
    Nov 25th 2012, 7:37 PM

    Pretend all you like that you didnโ€™t understand what I meant about reading too many newspapers.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gamma
    Favourite Gamma
    Report
    Nov 25th 2012, 7:40 PM

    I know what you ment you clown, just because happen to agree with the general consensus doesnโ€™t mean I took it from the paper. now in the most polite way I can put it, piss of.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Damian O'keeffe
    Favourite Damian O'keeffe
    Report
    Nov 25th 2012, 7:49 PM

    Try harder youโ€™re nearly there.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gamma
    Favourite Gamma
    Report
    Nov 25th 2012, 7:56 PM

    its ok Iโ€™m finished feeding the trolls today

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Damian O'keeffe
    Favourite Damian O'keeffe
    Report
    Nov 25th 2012, 8:22 PM

    You read that somewhere?

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Chris Mansfield
    Favourite Chris Mansfield
    Report
    Nov 26th 2012, 10:33 AM

    Itโ€™s not just the Di Matteo sacking. There was a lot of bad blood between Rafa and Chelsea and in particular the fans since the days when he was Liverpoool manager.

    In terms of upsetting the fans, itโ€™s probably the worst appointment since George Graham became Spurs manager.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gamma
    Favourite Gamma
    Report
    Nov 25th 2012, 3:57 PM

    Sexy football? Youโ€™ve clearly never seen a team play under Rafa! Di Matteo had Chelsea playing free flowing football. Rafa will be playing that 9-0-1 formation I reckon

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Damian O'keeffe
    Favourite Damian O'keeffe
    Report
    Nov 25th 2012, 4:18 PM

    I think u should stop reading the newspapers. Try thinking for yourself.

    You might like it.

    37
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gamma
    Favourite Gamma
    Report
    Nov 25th 2012, 4:23 PM

    says the man reading the online news!

    41
    See 2 more replies โ–พ
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Damian O'keeffe
    Favourite Damian O'keeffe
    Report
    Nov 25th 2012, 4:27 PM

    Hah?

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Graham Kavanagh
    Favourite Graham Kavanagh
    Report
    Nov 25th 2012, 5:50 PM

    Rafa likes to run a team with no interference, and has shown he can produce when left alone by ownersโ€ฆ. But as in the cowboys, and moratti at inter Milan, also eventually the owners at Valencia interfered, it will not work. Expect roman to pile pressure on himโ€ฆ. Imagine guardiolaโ€ฆ. Who would be fired after 1 draw, given the expectations on himโ€ฆ.

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Helen of Troika
    Favourite Helen of Troika
    Report
    Nov 25th 2012, 5:28 PM

    Itโ€™s one dull game.So far

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Rothwell
    Favourite Alan Rothwell
    Report
    Nov 25th 2012, 10:33 PM

    16.48 Torres tangles for a 50/50 with Azpilโ€ฆ and wins a free?!? Really, his teammate?!

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Les Rock
    Favourite Les Rock
    Report
    Nov 25th 2012, 6:51 PM

    An ashley Cole raping shot?

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Les Rock
    Favourite Les Rock
    Report
    Nov 25th 2012, 6:51 PM

    at 1744

    3
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel