Key Points
- Belgium beat New Zealand 5-1 in Vancouver to win Group G.
- Leandro Trossard scored twice; De Bruyne, Lukaku, and Saelemaekers added goals.
- Belgium had drawn its first two games and sat third entering the finale.
- New Zealand needed a win and were eliminated.
Belgium finally turned up. After two drab draws left the Red Devils third in their group, they thumped New Zealand 5-1 in Vancouver on Friday to win Group G and reach the World Cup knockout round. Leandro Trossard scored twice, with Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, and Alexis Saelemaekers all adding to the rout; Elijah Just got New Zealand’s consolation.
The result reorders a group that had been the tournament’s quietest. Belgium opened with a 1-1 draw against Egypt and a scoreless tie with Iran, scoring once from open play in two games before erupting here. Their reward for topping the group is a round-of-32 date with a third-place finisher Wednesday in Seattle. Egypt, held to second on goal difference, advanced for the first time in its history.
For a golden-generation side that flamed out in the group stage in Qatar, a knockout berth is the floor, not the ceiling. The question Belgium just half-answered is whether the goals were a switch flipping or a weak opponent flattering them. Seattle will tell.
Source: ESPN, Al Jazeera
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