Euro 2024: Romania trounce toothless Ukraine 3-0 to kickstart campaign

Romania secured their first major international tournament victory in 24 years on Monday (June 17) by defeating Ukraine 3-0 at Euro 2024, aided by two mistakes from Ukrainian goalkeeper Andriy Lunin.

Romania’s captain, Nicolae Stanciu, scored a spectacular long-range goal in the first half, giving Romania, supported by the majority of the Munich crowd, an early lead in their Group E opener.

The situation worsened for Ukraine as Razvan Marin’s shot from distance slipped under Lunin, and Denis Dragus added a third goal before the hour mark.

This marked a catastrophic start for Ukraine, who now need to quickly regroup for upcoming matches against Slovakia and Belgium.

Ukrainian players entered the pitch draped in their national flags, marking their first appearance at a major tournament since the Russian invasion in February 2022. Although they missed the World Cup qualification two years ago, they managed to secure a fourth consecutive Euro appearance amid the ongoing conflict.

Ukraine, which reached the quarter-finals three years ago under Andriy Shevchenko, has since undergone significant changes due to the war, with Serhiy Rebrov now at the helm. Rebrov emphasized the importance of participating in the tournament, especially in Germany, where many Ukrainians have sought refuge.

He shared that he received numerous messages from those back home, including soldiers on the front line, encouraging his team to display the resilient spirit of Ukraine during these challenging times.

Romania, who qualified for the tournament unbeaten but had not won in their last four matches this year, celebrated their return to the big stage after missing Euro 2020. Their last and only previous tournament win was at Euro 2000, where they reached the quarter-finals.

Ukraine started energetically at the Allianz Arena but faltered after Lunin’s clearance error led to Stanciu’s stunning 20-yard strike into the top corner. Despite being consoled by teammate Oleksandr Zinchenko, Lunin almost conceded another goal soon after when Stanciu’s corner nearly went in directly.

Lunin’s troubles continued as he was beaten by Marin’s low 25-yard strike, and Dragus sealed Romania’s victory by tapping in from close range after a well-executed short corner.

Florin Nita, Romania’s goalkeeper, made a crucial save from Georgiy Sudakov late in the game, and substitute Roman Yaremchuk’s lob hit the bar, encapsulating a forgettable day for Ukraine.