Belgium secured their spot in the World Cup knockout stage with a dominant 5-1 triumph over New Zealand in Vancouver, clinching the top position in Group G thanks to superior goal difference.
The Red Devils finished level on seven points with Egypt, but their emphatic victory ensured they edged ahead. Leandro Trossard stood out by scoring twice, while goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, and Alexis Saelemaekers rounded out Belgium’s commanding performance.
Meanwhile, Egypt advanced as well after managing a 1-1 draw against Iran in Seattle, with the Iranians concluding their tournament in third place within the group.
From the opening whistle, Belgium imposed themselves on the match, coming close to an early goal when Trossard’s angled shot clanged off the inside of the post before being cleared by New Zealand defender Tyler Bindon.
Shortly after, Belgium was initially awarded a penalty when Trossard’s strike appeared to strike Finn Surman’s arm inside the box. However, after a VAR review, referee Adham Mohammad reversed the decision, denying Belgium the spot-kick.
Belgium’s relentless pressure pays off
Despite the overturned penalty, Belgium’s persistent pressure soon bore fruit. A corner delivered by De Bruyne caused confusion within New Zealand’s six-yard box, allowing Trossard to react fastest and force the ball over the line for the opener.
Just five minutes into the second half, Trossard doubled Belgium’s lead. He controlled a loose ball inside the penalty area before calmly slotting it past goalkeeper Max Crocombe at his near post.
De Bruyne then extended the advantage in the 66th minute with a composed finish, a goal that propelled Belgium above Egypt in the group standings on goal difference.