Sweden's Belgium Vs Match Not Continued, UEFA Fixes 1-1

The Belgian vs Sweden match was discontinued. The score remains 1-1. The Belgian national team appears to pay their respects after the match is stopped. (Twitter @RoyalBelgianFA)

JAKARTA - Belgium's Euro 2024 qualifying match against Sweden which was stopped after the shooting incident in Brussels will not continue. UEFA stated that the match which was held in King Baudoin, Brussels, Tuesday, October 17, 2024 in the morning WIB was 'completed' with the final score still 1-1

The match in Group F itself went smoothly and safely. Sweden took the lead through Viktor Gyokeres who scored in the 15th minute. Begia then equalized the score when striker Romelu Lukaku scored from the penalty spot in the 31st minute.

When a shooting incident killed two Swedish nationals, UEFA stopped the match due to security factors. However, UEFA then decided the match would not continue.

"Each team got point one and the standings in Group F were updated," said a statement from UEFA. "Even so for those who commit violations so that they receive a ban on playing and one yellow card remains valid."

The decision stated that players who get cards for their violations will not be whitened. Likewise, players have to be absent due to card accumulation in the match still enforced in the next match.

UEFA decided the match was declared over because it was difficult to continue in the next few days. Moreover, the Belgian and Swedish Football Federation do not really want to continue.

"The Executive Committee [UEFA] said it was difficult to continue the match. Both the Belgian Football Association [RBFA] and the Swedish Football Association [SFA] also considered that there was no need to continue the match and the draw in the first half was considered final," further explanation from UEFA.

"The match proposal continued in November when there was an international match schedule that could not be accepted because the group stage had to be completed and then followed by the play-offs and the final round draw."

The result did not change the status and position of the two teams. Belgium will definitely qualify for the Euro 2024 finals. They remain perched at the top of the standings with 17 points.

Meanwhile, Sweden is in third place with seven points. Austria, who is in second place, also passed to accompany Belgium.

"The results of the match did not affect Group F. Belgium mathematically has qualified for Euro 2024 (with Austria) and Sweden has been mathematically eliminated," UEFA said.

The Belgian football federation positively welcomed UEFA's decision. In an official statement, the decision was in accordance with the wishes of the two football federations.

"We welcome UEFA's decision. This decision is in line with the wishes of the two federations. Currently, the sport is number two because we are still thinking about the victims and their families," the Belgian FA statement said.

The shooting incident by terrorists is targeting Swedish fans who are in Belgium to support the competing national team. The perpetrator carried out a shooting that killed two Swedish citizens.

The police then chased the perpetrator who turned out to be a Tunisian citizen aged 45. It is known that he turned out to live illegally in Belgium.

Through the operation carried out, officers managed to arrest the suspect while in a cafe in the Schaerbeek area. Only, he was then shot dead for resisting.