Belgium ensured their progression to the World Cup knockout stages with a commanding 5-1 victory over New Zealand in Vancouver on Friday.
A standout performance from Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard, who netted twice, alongside goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, and Alexis Saelemaekers, propelled Belgium to the top of Group G. This dominant result secures their advancement to the round of 32, bouncing back from two opening draws.
The Belgian campaign began with a 1-1 draw against Egypt in Seattle, followed by a scoreless stalemate against Iran.
Iran must now wait anxiously to discover if they will advance, following a 1-1 draw in their final group match against Egypt. Meanwhile, New Zealand exits the tournament with only a single point to their name.
Trossard initiated the rout in the 28th minute with an instinctive finish following a corner, before adding a second with a volley early in the second half. De Bruyne extended the lead to 3-0 with a precise left-footed strike from outside the penalty area, followed by a Lukaku header and a final goal from Saelemaekers to complete the five-goal haul.
Belgium is scheduled to face a third-place finisher from Group A, E, H, I, or J in Seattle next week.
Egypt, finishing as Group G runners-up, will face Australia in Dallas, while Iran’s fate depends on the results of the remaining matches in Groups J, K, and L.