Romania and Slovakia earned a point apiece which was enough for both teams to progress from Group E in Frankfurt.
A draw was enough to send both sides through to the last 16 but despite that fact the encounter was hugely competitive throughout, with both sides seeking to try and top the group and send the other home.
Ondrej Duda’s fine downward header gave Slovakia the lead against the run of play on 24 minutes but Razvan Marin’s emphatic penalty, awarded by VAR, levelled before the break.
Slovakia ahead via Duda header ⚽️#EURO2024 | #SVKROU pic.twitter.com/4sOBvesm4S
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) June 26, 2024
Group E winners Romania will play the Slovenia or the Netherlands while runners-up Belgium face France and third-placed Slovakia will advance to play Spain or England.
Romania are through to their second European Championship knockout stage while Slovakia are in the knockout phase of a third major tournament.
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Slovakia cause early problems
Romania looked suspect from high balls into the box from the get-go and keeper Florin Nita held a tame header from Juraj Kucka from an early corner and David Hancko volleyed well over the bar from another set piece inside 10 minutes.
At the other end Martin Dubravka palmed away a curling strike from the left of the box from Andrei Ratju, while Ianis Hagi lashed the rebound high and wide.
Romania’s Razvan Marin fizzed a free-kick wide of the upright from 30 yards while Stanciu swung an effort from outside the box straight at Dubravka.
The deadlock was broken at the other end on 24 minutes when a looping cross from deep on the right by Kucka was met by the head of Duda who expertly guided the ball down and back across goal past the despairing dive of Nita.
Ratju fired a long-range blast down the middle at Dubravka as the Romanians sought a reply but they were handed a lifeline from the penalty spot after a VAR intervention as Hagi was brought down by Hancko’s trailing leg on the edge of the box, allowing Marin to smash into the top corner to level the scores on 36 minutes.
Razvan Marin for Romania! 🇷🇴⚽️#EURO2024 | #SVKROU pic.twitter.com/jQi3cU1M8T
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) June 26, 2024
Denis Dragus broke forward trying to turn the game on its head but curled past the far post from the edge of the box when he had options either side while his teammate Nicosur Banku was booked for a high boot before the break which means he will miss their Round of 16 tie through suspension.
After the turnaround Nita had to punch clear from under his own crossbar after a defender inadvertently hacked the ball into the air and the keeper then got down well to deny Lukas Haraslín on 51 minutes.
As the heavens opened on the hour in Frankfurt Marin saw a powerful strike parried away by Dubravka while Dragus scorched his angled follow up from the edge of the box inches over the bar with the keeper at full stretch.
🔵🟡🔴#EURO2024 | #SVKROU pic.twitter.com/dF9N7UUjk3
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) June 26, 2024
At the other end David Strelec cut inside but saw a skidding low drive from 20 yards expertly saved by the leg of Nita, whose weight was falling away from the shot, while Haraslin whipped an effort past Nita but also the upright from the left of the area soon after.
Slovakian defender Denis Vavro tried an audacious 40-yard blast but sent the ball over the top with 15 minutes to go but with a point enough for both sides to progress, neither keeper was overly troubled in the closing stages.
