UEFA make decision on Belgium vs Sweden after match abandoned amid shootings

The Belgium v Sweden Euro 2024 qualifier will NOT be replayed after UEFA confirmed their decision on Thursday.

Last Monday's game in Brussels was poised at 1-1 at half-time when the decision was taken to abandon proceedings, as news of an attack in the city spread to the King Baudouin Stadium. Two Swedish people were killed just hours before the game, with the alleged attacker still on the loose before later being shot dead by police.

Sweden captain Victor Lindelof was vociferous about not continuing, with their opponents in full agreement. And in a released statement, UEFA said that the 1-1 scoreline at the interval will now stand as the final score.

The statement read: "With regard to the European Qualifier match between Belgium and Sweden abandoned at half-time upon request and agreement of the two teams, following the terrorist attack that killed two Swedish supporters in Brussels on 16 October, the UEFA Executive Committee decided today that: The match is abandoned and the result at the half-time interval (1-1) is confirmed as final.

"Each team is awarded one point with the Group F standings to be updated accordingly. Any suspension is considered served and single yellow cards remain valid."

Belgium have already booked their place in Germany next summer, along with fellow Group F side Austria. And with Sweden eliminated irrespective of any replayed game, the authorities conceded that the equation made the decision a simplistic one.

"Both the Royal Belgian Football Association and the Swedish Football Association, given the circumstances, explicitly expressed their desire not to play the remaining match time and to consider the result at the half-time interval (1-1) as final," UEFA added. "The result of this match does not impact the qualification of Group F since Belgium is already mathematically qualified to the UEFA Euro 2024 final tournament (together with Austria) and Sweden is mathematically eliminated."

Indeed, in the immediate aftermath of Monday night Lindelof himself had argued that there was no need to re-arrange matters, telling reporters: "Belgium are already qualified and we don't have the opportunity to get to the European Championship, so I see no reason to replay."

The match was poised at 1-1, with Viktor Gyokeres giving the visitors a 15th minute lead. But Romelu Lukaku levelled before the break for Belgium from the penalty spot.