Lukaku's surprising Belgium qualified 100 percent effective. Like Italy. Nine points out of nine.
Seven goals in favor and only one against. Numbers very similar to the selection "azurra" perhaps with the difference that Group B is somewhat stronger than A. At least in appearance.
Denmark, Finland and Russia are, in principle, more careful rivals than Wales, Switzerland and Turkey. At the statistics table. In the field of play they are always eleven against eleven and the forecasts have relative value.
The truth is that the Belgians are presented as serious candidates to fight for Italy alongside Italy.
And if the first place went to Belgium with a net superiority, the second place was one of the most fought, fought. It was defined by goal difference since all accumulated three points, products of a victory and two defeats. Total parity.
In the difference between goals for and goals against, Denmark favored with +1
In the last date Belgium defeated Finland by 2 to 0 as a visitor at the Krestovski Stadium located in the city of Saint Petersburg, Russia, while Denmark thrashed Russia by 4 to 1 and with this result managed to qualify second in their group.
From the hand of Kevin de Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, the team led by Roberto Martínez Montoliu since 2016 has given more than overwhelming evidence of its offensive power with Hazard and Lukaku and defensive firmness that starts from its goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, current Real Madrid goalkeeper and considered for a long time one of the best European archers together with the German Neuer and the Italian Buffon.
Supported by a midfield where a prominent figure does not emerge, but everything fights in favor of the team.
The Netherlands beat North Macedonia 3-0 at the Amsterdam Arena and achieved the perfect score to reach the round of 16. Just as Italy and Belgium did. And as they are running with just merits to access the long-awaited final.
This match also marked the farewell of a historic Macedonian player: Goran Pandev, who took his football for a walk all over Europe.
Frank de Boer's team was too much for a weak North Macedonia that has lost all three games played.
Without several of its starting players, the Netherlands had no problem imposing its concept of total football and claiming a resounding victory.
Austria, meanwhile, in a direct match for qualification defeated Ukraine 1 to 0 and qualified second in group C with six units to three behind the leader. A historical classification of the Austrian national team for the knockout rounds of the European Championship.