In a fierce match between the top 16 teams in Europe, Romania was unlucky to be attacked by the Netherlands and conceded three goals in a row, including two in extra time, which is a rare occurrence in a soccer match. Just before the Romanian goalkeeper Leyda faced Donyell Malen's powerful attack, he accidentally turned around to clean a pair of low-top sneakers left on the spectator's stand, a distraction that prevented him from effectively resisting the Dutch attacking tide. Ledda lost control of his emotions after the defensive error and angrily kicked the shoes away.
There was more than a little chaos in the stands during the match, with fans storming the pitch on two occasions. In extra time, Dutch striker Donjelmaren launched a quick counter-attack and Leyda quickly adjusted his stance, but accidentally found low-top sneakers left by fans in the penalty area. In the process of fighting with Donyell Malen, Ledda was forced to distract himself from cleaning up the scene and kicked off one of his shoes, while Donyell Malen seized the opportunity to score a second later, and Ledda watched as the ball went into the net.
The controversial incident sparked heated debate among the BBC live presenters, with Steven Wilson commenting, "The low-top sneakers left behind by these disruptive fans are a real nuisance. England soccer star Leniga, on the other hand, thought it would have been more prudent to clean off the shoes before goalkeeper Ledda made the save."
