Romania, Slovakia make last 16 after lively draw

FRANKFURT, Germany :Romania's Razvan Marin scored a first-half penalty to cancel out Ondrej Duda’s headed goal for Slovakia as the teams played out a 1-1 Euro 2024 Group E draw on Wednesday to both reach the last 16.

All four sides in Group E finished on four points, with Romania earning top spot on goals scored from Belgium, and Slovakia ending third, ahead Ukraine on goal difference.

Romania and Slovakia must wait until the completion of the group stage on Wednesday to learn their last-16 opponents, but Belgium will face France in Duesseldorf on Monday.

Romania reached the knockout stages of the Euros for the first time since 2000, while for Slovakia it will be a second appearance in the last 16 after 2016, when they lost to Germany.

"It means a lot, we are happy, we have achieved our goal, this was our goal from the very beginning. Now, there will be a knockout game and it will be something completely different," Marin told PRO TV.

Team mate Ianis Hagi said no-one in the squad was surprised to have reached the knockout stages.

"Our coaches have raised us, they know our characteristics, they know our personality, we are winners," he said.

The match was played in a feverish atmosphere, with the fervour in the stands matched by the helter-skelter nature of a match that was not high on quality, but had plenty of entertainment and intrigue.

DRAW TALK

The teams came into the game knowing a draw would be enough to send both through and there was talk in the build-up of the potential for them to contrive that, something the coaches denied vehemently.

"We don't draw any game, we always try to go for victory, no matter what," Hagi said.

Certainly, there was no lack of energy and endeavour, which slowed only towards the end of the game.