Ivan Schranz earns Slovakia shock win as Belgium are twice

Piece by piece the gilt is flaking off what’s left of Belgium’s golden generation. An abundance of talent, sometimes functioning, sometimes not, but a team without cohesion or an abiding idea, they were picked off by an unheralded Slovakia side who had everything their lustrous opponents did not. But boy, a fair amount happened along the way.

An unerring finish by Ivan Schranz after a defensive aberration was the decisive moment in the match and came after just six minutes. Just as notable were the moments of inaccuracy that piled up for Belgium and, in particular, on the broad shoulders of Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian No 9, wearing No 10, missed enough chances for two hat-tricks and had not one but two goals disallowed.