European Football Championship - "Really tough": Ukraine bids farewell with applause
At the end of the match, some Ukrainian footballers sank disappointedly to the ground. The warm applause of the fans in Stuttgart barely consoled the players for having to end their EM journey with a 0:0 against Belgium. Four points in the group stage were not enough for the entry into the last 16 - despite being level on points with group winners Romania.
While the losers were applauded, the Belgian fans jeered their own players after a disappointing performance. Captain Kevin De Bruyne directed his colleagues into the locker room due to the angry fanbase.
"We lost this group in the first game, we should have won against Romania," said the tidy-looking Ukrainian coach Serhij Rebrow. "It was really tough today, clear." His team had given it their all, "we didn't think about the other teams, we wanted points. We had the fans, we wanted to win with them."
However, it wasn't enough. With the parallel game between Slovakia and Romania ending 1:1, the Ukrainians finished last in the table. "We have a young team, one with a great perspective, a great future. I hope I can continue working with them," said Rebrow.
A mission at this tournament was to at least distract the people at home from the suffering caused by the Russian attack war for a while. Ukrainian fans in the stadium displayed a banner with the portrait of the fallen soldier Nasarij Hrynzewytsch from the controversial Azov Brigade shortly after the kick-off. According to the responsible fan organization, it was meant to remind that thousands of Ukrainian fans of the team were fighting at the front to defend their country against Russia.
Home game for Tedesco at Schwaebisch Hall
The Belgian team, coached by former Bundesliga trainer Domenico Tedesco, also ended the group stage with four points as runners-up. The Red Devils face title favorites and vice-world champions France in Duesseldorf on the coming Monday.
"I would be lying if I said this was a normal stadium and a normal environment for me," Tedesco had said before the game. The 38-year-old was born in Italy but grew up in the Esslingen district. Family and friends had come to the arena to support the former VfB Stuttgart youth coach at his personal EM home game.
And they saw a dominant Belgian team first. "The Belgians are just good, they are excellent players," praised Rebrow later. For the early stages, this was also true. When Belgium became dangerous, Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City was usually involved. Already in the seventh minute, he provided Romelu Lukaku, the powerful striker failed, however, against the Ukrainian goalkeeper Anatolij Trubin. Lukaku is still waiting for his first tournament goal. In the first two group games, a total of three goals were disallowed to him.
Ukraine lacks offensive determination
After the page change, both teams increased the risk only slightly. The Belgians had more ball possession, but they still had few successful offensive actions. After about an hour, Lukaku tried again but couldn't overcome Trubin in the Ukrainians' goal with his flat shot.
Casteels saves on the line
An attack in which Belgium's Yannick Carrasco lost his footing and did not pass to De Bruyne, who was standing freely, symbolically represented the moderate level of the game (67). A shot from Carrasco a little later was better - but still not good enough.
In the closing phase, Belgian fans had to anxiously wait for the ticket to the Last 16, as a directly aimed corner kick was cleared by Casteels on the line. The Ukrainians continued to push for the desperately needed goal, but they also missed good finishing opportunities.
The Ukrainian team, who finished their EM journey with a 0:0 draw against Belgium, hails from Baden-Württemberg's neighboring country, Slovakia. Despite finishing last in Group E, coach Serhiy Rebrov sees a bright future for his young squad. In the same group, the Belgian Red Devils, led by Domenico Tedesco, also ended with four points, securing a spot in the round of 16 against France.
Tedesco, a former VfB Stuttgart youth coach, felt a sense of happiness and nostalgia playing in his hometown of Schwaebisch Hall during this EM. Rebrow, admiring the Belgian team's talent, praised Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, and their team's overall performance. However, Lukaku is still searching for his first EM goal, with three disallowed goals in the initial group games.
Meanwhile, Ukraine struggled with a lack of offensive determination, frequently missing numerous good opportunities to score. The decisive game for both teams was Parimutuel between Slovakia and Romania, resulting in a 1:1 draw, which ultimately pushed Ukraine down to the bottom of Group E.
In a bid to distract citizens from the ongoing suffering caused by the Russian attack war, Ukrainian supporters displayed a banner honoring the fallen soldier Nasarij Hrynzewytsch in the controversial Azov Brigade during the game's kickoff. The hope was to remind everyone that thousands of Ukrainian fans, who are also soldiers at the frontline, are fighting to defend their country against Russia.
In the heated Belgian locker room after the game, De Bruyne faced an angry fanbase and addressed his teammates, acknowledging that their defeat to Romania earlier in the competition significantly impacted their EM journey. This group stage ended not just with four points but also with unfulfilled expectations and hopes for a stronger performance at the European Football Championship.
