With only two teams left to take the stage, we could already safely say that this European Championship had enjoyed the brightest, most entertaining start in the history of the event.

Then the Slovenians and Yugoslavs came out to play in Charleroi and a game which was supposed to be a makeweight affair for only Balkan eyes simply underlined everything which had gone before by actually eclipsing it for preposterous drama.

This really took some believing. Little Slovenia, 150-1 outsiders for the title, big on skiing but absolute beginners on international football's precarious slopes, were outplaying the ageing stars of Yugoslavia, the nation from whom they broke away for independence less than a decade ago.

They were three-nil up and dreaming, making it resemble an emotionally charged mission more than just a game.

For Yugoslavia, though, itching to show a European football scene which has all but boycotted them that they would not be ignored, a nightmare was unfolding. The words of their coach, Vujadin Boskov, were imprinted on them: 'It will be a scandal if we lose . . . anything but our victory would be a catastrophe.'

Now, though, they appeared to be waving the white flag as their totem, Sinisa Mihajlovic, self-destructed.

Minutes after gifting the splendid Zlatko Zahovic his second goal and Slovenia's third with probably the sloppiest pass he'd hit in years, the Lazio star trudged back to the dressing room with a couldn't-care-less air after receiving a second yellow card for a petulant push.

Even their own fans were jeering them. Humiliation was all that was left.

Suddenly, though, as if blinded by the lure of history, the Slovenians froze and Yugoslavia, traditionally suffused with skill but not steel, roused themselves as never before.

In probably the six most astonishing minutes in the Championship's annals, six minutes which made Portugal's comeback against England seem humdrum, they reduced an outfit hitherto driven by a sense of destiny to quivering wrecks.

Savo Milosevic, once Villa's favourite carthorse, scrambled one in. Ljubinko Drulovic fired home in the growing panic. Then Savo poked home another to level it up, grabbing and pointing to his shirt amid scenes of ecstatic pride.

By then, rational analysis was out the window as both teams attacked with chaotic abandon.

One minute, the Yugoslavs nearly ensured every quiz book would one day ask about the team who overturned a three goal lead in a major championship with just 10 men; the next, they were clearing off their own line.

At 3-3, everyone retired wearily, with nerves shot but honour satisfied. Unbelievable.

So Kevin Keegan did get something right, then. While many of his coaching counterparts here had been predicting that the tournament was going to be marked by defensive, safety-first games, Charleroi's unexpected treat only seemed to confirm our old adventurer's assertion that 'on the contrary, the opposite will happen because almost every team has great attacking potential'.

Twenty-four goals have been scored so far - at three a game, a far higher average than in the opening exchanges of any previous edition.

For instance, Euro '96 had only produced 13 goals at the same stage. Statistics tell only part of the story, though.

The overall quality, lively enterprise and, despite three sendings off, notable spirit of fair play and largely unfussy refereeing in the eight games has been far superior to the dire stuff so often offered up at the start of championships.

If the golden rule is not to lose your first game at all costs, then few seemed to be listening. Why settle for a draw when you believe you can win?

Teams have been setting out from the whistle with positive intent, believing it is anybody's Championship, even if the French, the outstanding performers so far with their first-gear dismissal of Denmark, have done their best to make sure it looks like nobody else's.

Look at Slovenia. The underdogs have no inferiority complexes here. The Czechs mastered the Dutch tactically even if they did lose unluckily, Norway bullied Spain to distraction and Portugal ran circles round England.

After each game, leading coaches who are conducting a technical study for UEFA, are writing love letters about what they see. Jozef Venglos's verdict on Italy v Turkey - 'a skilful, open game played in the spirit of fair play' - was typical. There have been no real dud games.

The stifling 'zero tolerance' security operation around the venues has so far done its job even if it is not conducive to a real carnival atmosphere but the crowds have been able to savour masters at work in the sunshine - Zidane, Figo, Rui Costa, Nedved - some sublime goals - Figo's has to be the pick, sadly - and some absorbing contests.

'That was great,' said Yugoslav coach Boskov after the game, the most exciting yet. 'A great advert for football and its possibilities.'

Early days of course - four down, 19 to go - but the same could be said of the whole event so far.