Belgium keep their balance and the partying begins in earnest

Belgium: 2 - Goor 43, Mpenza 46

Sweden: 1 - Mjallby 53

Referee: M Merk (Ger)

Booked: Belgium - Verheyen, Nilis, Van Kerckhoven; Sweden - P Andersson. Sent off - P Andersson

There are times when it is all too easy to see the surreal in the plain daft. The King Badouin Stadium, Brussels, Saturday night, was a case in point.

An evening that began with what looked like an appearance of the rarely-seen Taliban Dance Troupe in the goalmouth (where later Emile Mpenza would send a soaring shot into the roof of the net), ended with the entire Belgian squad dancing in the same penalty area, celebrating as if they had won Euro 2000 outright rather than its opening game.

Surreal? Daft? Maybe a bit of both. To the tens of thousand of delirious Belgians disappearing onto the Brussels metro beneath a sky lit up by fireworks, it was an immaterial debate.

After a tense, low-key introduction, during which the guests looked more at home than the hosts, the Belgians finally enjoyed their party. At last Belgium had an atmosphere. Corks popped, people jigged.

Forty-two minutes into the match the Belgian number eight, Bart Goor, kept his balance to slot the ball beyond Coventry City's Magnus Hedman.

Shrugging off the challenge of Roland Nilsson in the process, Goor did well to steady himself as he descended on Hedman. In one sense that moment crystallised why Belgium went on to win: they were the team with shape and balance. Sweden were formless by comparison.

Where Goor and Gert Verheyen gave Belgium natural width and weight on the flanks, Sweden tended to go down the middle. This is not a tactic to be recommended when Kennet Andersson is the focus of the attack. Kennet Andersson does not stray offside: Kennet Andersson was born offside. His partner, Jorgen Petterson, was not much smarter. As a result, too much creative responsibility fell on Freddie Ljungberg. The Arsenal man had a frustrating night. His effort overall could not be faulted, but his effort in the 56th minute could.

Put through by Daniel Andersson's one clever pass, Ljungberg's surge into the Belgian area should have brought the Swedes an equaliser, but Filip de Wilde was able to nudge the ball wide.

Coming just three minutes after De Wilde had gifted Sweden a way back into contention by treading on a back-pass like some overweight park goalkeeper, the save from Ljungberg represented atonement.

The error let Johan Mjallby score and returned to Sweden some of their early momentum. Two minutes after the Ljungberg chance, Mjallby suddenly found himself alone in the box but dallied too long.

Not until two minutes from time did Sweden manoeuvre themselves into another scoring position. Again it was Mjallby. Again De Wilde saved. Belgium had their triumph.

The occasion, and possibly the opening ceremony, seemed to have restricted Belgium's movement. "Nervous" was the manager's description.

Only when the prodigious Marc Wilmots began to impose himself in midfield did Belgium establish any forward mobility. Still, there was not much for Mpenza to chase for, and although the first half gradually developed into a fast, open contest, when Goor dispossessed Nilsson to score shortly before half-time it was Belgium's first real opportunity.

How it settled them could be gauged by the admirable flick from the previously anonymous Branko Strupar to Mpenza straight after the interval. There was a hint of handball about Mpenza's control, but more than a hint of ability about the finish.

Cue more dancing. Belgium's tournament had at last begun.