By T. Jayani, JadeTimes News
Kevin de Bruyne once again showcased his enduring quality and status as a key member of Belgium's "Golden Generation" on an electrifying night in Cologne. Belgium has previously carried the burden of unmet expectations in major tournaments, especially when they failed to advance beyond the group stage at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. After a surprising defeat to Slovakia, ranked 45th in the world, in their opening group match of Euro 2024, old criticisms resurfaced.
The format of this tournament, which reduces the risk in the group stage, gave Belgium some leeway after their initial shock loss. They knew a win against Romania was crucial.
Against this high pressure backdrop, De Bruyne delivered a master Declass performance, capped with a goal that secured a 2-0 victory and revitalized Belgium's campaign. Bruyne's importance was underscored when Belgium's fans, clad in red, rose in unison to cheer the Manchester City midfielder as he warmed up. The night called for his leadership.
Youri Tielemans eased early tensions by scoring past Romania keeper Florin Nita within 73 seconds, but it was the 32 year old De Bruyne who ensured Belgium's dominance throughout the match.
The stadium, vibrant with color and filled with deafening noise before kickoff, set the stage for a game that matched the spectacular atmosphere. Cologne was decked out in red and yellow all day, with a pre game message from the legendary Gheorghe Hagi elevating the Romanian fans' excitement to fever pitch.
The match itself was wild, open, and fiercely contested, with De Bruyne standing out above all. The nature of the game gave De Bruyne ample space to operate, an opportunity he seized fully. He set the tone with a brilliant first half run that left Romanian defenders trailing and almost led to a goal for Dodi Lukebakio.
Amid the frantic action, De Bruyne's quality and composure made it seem like he had more time on the ball than anyone else, particularly during a stellar second half.
He tested Nita with a fine save, sent a dangerous cross into the six yard box, and delivered a visionary pass that split the Romanian defense, allowing Romelu Lukaku to score only for the goal to be disallowed for a marginal offside call by the Video Assistant Referee. Unperturbed, De Bruyne finally got the goal his performance deserved, shrugging off the Romanian defense to score past Nita with 11 minutes remaining.