New Zealand 1-5 Belgium: Trossard brace inspires Red Devils to top of Group G
Leandro Trossard struck twice as a rampant Belgium thrashed New Zealand 5-1 in Vancouver to secure their passage into the World Cup last 32 as group winners.
Belgium finally kick-started their World Cup campaign in explosive fashion, routing New Zealand 5-1 at the BC Place Stadium to storm into the Round of 32 as Group G winners.
Under immense scrutiny after laboring to successive draws against Egypt and Iran, Rudi Garcia’s side emphatically quieted their detractors. Arsenal forward Leandro Trossard spearheaded the five-star display with a superb double, while goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, and Alexis Saelemaekers ensured the Red Devils edged out Egypt for the top spot on goal difference.
The tone was set from the first whistle as a re-energized Belgium camped inside the New Zealand half, with Trossard hitting the post in an early warning sign. The underdogs survived another scare when referee Adham Mohammad awarded a penalty for handball against Finn Surman, only to correctly reverse his decision following a swift VAR consultation.
Belgium’s relentless pressure eventually broke through in the 28th minute. A pinpoint De Bruyne corner caused panic inside the six-yard box, bouncing off Kiwi defender Tim Payne before Trossard reacted sharpest to prod the ball past Max Crocombe.
Any hopes of an All Whites fightback evaporated five minutes into the second half. Trossard, demonstrating the clinical poise that has defined his season, controlled a loose ball inside the area and rifled a brilliant effort into the near post at the second attempt.
De Bruyne then turned scorer in the 66th minute, gracefully sweeping home an exquisite first-time strike from the edge of the box to effectively seal the points.
New Zealand, refusing to wave the white flag, briefly threatened to disrupt Belgium’s goal-difference mathematics when Elijah Just capitalized on a rare defensive lapse, volleying a loose ball past Thibaut Courtois to pull it back to 3-1.
However, the Belgian response was immediate and devastating. Romelu Lukaku took the field as a substitute and scored with his very first touch of the match less than a minute later, meeting an inswinging cross with a thumping, authoritative header.
Deep into stoppage time, Alexis Saelemaekers added the crowning glory to a magnificent evening, skipping past a fatigued challenge to bend a fine finish into the bottom corner. While Darren Bazeley’s New Zealand squad take their leave from North America after a heavy lesson, Belgium march into the knockout phases with their belief restored and momentum building..
