Serbs create history
Belgium’s storm giant Lukaku scores four goals in 20 minutes
November 19, 2023, 8:36 p.m
Top striker Romelu Lukaku increased his remarkable goal tally for the Belgian national team to over 80 goals in the win against Azerbaijan. The team will travel to the European Championships next year as group winners. Serbia will also be competing there for the first time.
Storm giant Romelu Lukaku led Belgium to the 2024 European Football Championship in Germany as group winners with a four-pack against Azerbaijan. The 30-year-old attacker scored four times in the first half of the 5-0 (4-0) win in Brussels, increasing his goal tally in the national jersey to 83 goals. Only six players have officially scored more international goals.
For Lukaku, it was the first time that he scored four goals in an international match. With 14 goals in eight games, Lukaku also leads the top scorer list in the European Championship qualification. After winning the draw for next year’s finals, Belgium will definitely be in Pot 1 and will therefore not face Germany. Coach Domenico Tedesco’s much-rejuvenated team finished qualifying Group F undefeated with six wins and two draws ahead of Austria.
The two Wolfsburg players Koen Casteels and Aster Vranckx started against Azerbaijan, and Loïs Openda from RB Leipzig came on for Lukaku in the second half. In the second game of Group F, Sweden, which can no longer qualify for the European Championship, won 2-0 (1-0) against Estonia. The goals were scored by Viktor Claesson (22nd) and Leipzig’s Emil Forsberg (55th). Estonia will take part in the playoffs as winners of Nations League Group D.
Meanwhile, Serbia grabbed the European Championship ticket for the first time in a long-distance duel with neighbors Montenegro. Coach Dragan Stojkovic’s team managed a 2-2 (1-0) win against Bulgaria on the last matchday of qualification to secure second place in Group G behind Hungary and participation in the European Championships. The pursuers Montenegro lost 1:3 (1:0) in Hungary and had to settle for third place.
Bremen’s Milos Veljkovic (16th) gave the Serbs the lead, but Georgi Rusew (59th) and Kiril Despodow (69th) turned the game in favor of the Bulgarians. Srdan Babic (82nd) managed to equalize. Montenegro also led with a goal from Slobodan Rubezic (36th), before ex-Leipzig player Dominik Szoboszlai with a brace (66th/68th) and Adam Nagy (90th + 3) led the already qualified Hungarians to victory. Serbia and Montenegro last took part in a European Championship in 2000, when they were still together as Yugoslavia.