Belgium produced their best performance of the tournament to defeat New Zealand 5-1 and secure a place in the World Cup knockout rounds, with Leandro Trossard and Kevin De Bruyne leading the charge in Vancouver.
Needing a victory to keep their World Cup campaign alive, the Red Devils looked a completely different side from the team that struggled in their opening two matches. From the opening whistle, Rudi Garcia’s men controlled possession and repeatedly troubled the New Zealand defence.
The breakthrough arrived in the 28th minute when Kevin De Bruyne’s corner caused confusion inside the six-yard box. The ball bounced off defender Tim Payne and fell kindly for Trossard, who reacted quickest to finish from close range.
Belgium continued to dominate and could have taken a larger lead into the break, but their second goal eventually arrived five minutes into the second half. De Bruyne threaded a precise pass to Trossard, whose initial effort was blocked before he volleyed the rebound into the net at the near post.
The contest was effectively settled in the 66th minute when De Bruyne added his name to the scoresheet with a powerful left-footed strike from outside the penalty area that flew into the bottom corner.
New Zealand briefly gave their supporters hope when Elijah Just scored his third goal of the tournament, smashing home to reduce the deficit. However, Belgium responded immediately as substitute Romelu Lukaku restored the three-goal advantage just 56 seconds after entering the pitch, heading home to make it 4-1.
Another substitute, Alexis Saelemaekers, put the finishing touches on an impressive performance by slotting in Belgium’s fifth goal during stoppage time.
The victory, coupled with Egypt’s failure to defeat Iran, saw Belgium finish top of Group G on goal difference. They will now advance to the last 32, where they are scheduled to play on Wednesday and currently appear set to face South Korea, although the final standings remain dependent on results from the remaining groups.
For New Zealand, the defeat brings an end to their third World Cup appearance. The All Whites leave the tournament with just one point from three matches despite showing flashes of promise throughout the competition.
Belgium’s display finally showcased the attacking quality many expected before the tournament began. Trossard’s direct running and De Bruyne’s creativity proved too much for New Zealand to handle, and if the duo can maintain this level of form, Belgium may yet emerge as dangerous contenders in the knockout rounds.
