VANCOUVER — Belgium rediscovered its attacking touch at the perfect moment, thrashing New Zealand 5-1 on Friday to finish top of Group G and book a place in the World Cup knockout stage.Leandro Trossard scored twice, while Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Saelemaekers also found the net as Belgium bounced back from a slow start to the tournament with its most convincing performance yet.The Red Devils had opened their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Egypt before being held to a goalless draw by Iran, but the emphatic victory lifted them above Egypt, whose simultaneous 1-1 draw with Iran in Seattle dropped the Pharaohs to second place.”I think we had the chances in the first two games, but we didn’t take them,” Trossard said. “Today we were clinical. It’s always nice to score a lot of goals, and we’re really happy to qualify as group winners.”Belgium will remain in Seattle, where its training base is located, to face a yet-to-be-determined third-placed team in Wednesday’s round-of-32 clash. A victory would set up a last-16 meeting with the winner of the United States-Bosnia and Herzegovina tie.Coach Rudi Garcia, however, refused to look beyond the next challenge.”First, we have to win our round-of-32 match,” Garcia said. “I don’t even know who we’ll be playing yet, so it would be disrespectful to start talking about the round of 16.”Trossard thought he had opened the scoring early on, but goal-line technology confirmed the ball had not completely crossed the line. Belgium was also denied a penalty in the 23rd minute after video review ruled that New Zealand defender Finn Surman’s arm was in a natural position.The breakthrough finally arrived in the 28th minute when Trossard reacted quickest during a goalmouth scramble, lifting the ball onto the crossbar before it bounced over the line.It was Belgium’s first goal scored by one of its own players at a World Cup since Michy Batshuayi netted against Canada at Qatar 2022. Belgium’s only goal in its tournament opener against Egypt came via an own goal.Trossard doubled the advantage shortly after halftime, converting a rebound that deflected off a New Zealand defender before finding the net.De Bruyne effectively sealed the result with a superb strike from outside the penalty area in the 66th minute, celebrating with a heart gesture toward the sold-out crowd at BC Place.Elijah Just briefly gave New Zealand fans something to cheer about with his third goal of the tournament in the 84th minute, but Lukaku restored Belgium’s four-goal cushion with a header two minutes later before Saelemaekers completed the scoring in stoppage time.The defeat ended New Zealand’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage and extended the All Whites’ wait for a first World Cup victory.”It’s been a long journey, and I’m proud of the boys,” said Just. “Everyone gave everything. It just wasn’t enough.”Belgium welcomed back winger Jérémy Doku after he missed the draw against Iran through illness and briefly returned to London for the birth of his son. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois also set a national record by making his 18th World Cup appearance, surpassing Enzo Scifo.VANCOUVER — Belgium rediscovered its attacking touch at the perfect moment, thrashing New Zealand 5-1 on Friday to finish top of Group G and book a place in the World Cup knockout stage.Leandro Trossard scored twice, while Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Saelemaekers also found the net as Belgium bounced back from a slow start to the tournament with its most convincing performance yet.The Red Devils had opened their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Egypt before being held to a goalless draw by Iran, but the emphatic victory lifted them above Egypt, whose simultaneous 1-1 draw with Iran in Seattle dropped the Pharaohs to second place.”I think we had the chances in the first two games, but we didn’t take them,” Trossard said. “Today we were clinical. It’s always nice to score a lot of goals, and we’re really happy to qualify as group winners.”Belgium will remain in Seattle, where its training base is located, to face a yet-to-be-determined third-placed team in Wednesday’s round-of-32 clash. A victory would set up a last-16 meeting with the winner of the United States-Bosnia and Herzegovina tie.Coach Rudi Garcia, however, refused to look beyond the next challenge.”First, we have to win our round-of-32 match,” Garcia said. “I don’t even know who we’ll be playing yet, so it would be disrespectful to start talking about the round of 16.”Trossard thought he had opened the scoring early on, but goal-line technology confirmed the ball had not completely crossed the line. Belgium was also denied a penalty in the 23rd minute after video review ruled that New Zealand defender Finn Surman’s arm was in a natural position.The breakthrough finally arrived in the 28th minute when Trossard reacted quickest during a goalmouth scramble, lifting the ball onto the crossbar before it bounced over the line.It was Belgium’s first goal scored by one of its own players at a World Cup since Michy Batshuayi netted against Canada at Qatar 2022. Belgium’s only goal in its tournament opener against Egypt came via an own goal.Trossard doubled the advantage shortly after halftime, converting a rebound that deflected off a New Zealand defender before finding the net.De Bruyne effectively sealed the result with a superb strike from outside the penalty area in the 66th minute, celebrating with a heart gesture toward the sold-out crowd at BC Place.Elijah Just briefly gave New Zealand fans something to cheer about with his third goal of the tournament in the 84th minute, but Lukaku restored Belgium’s four-goal cushion with a header two minutes later before Saelemaekers completed the scoring in stoppage time.The defeat ended New Zealand’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage and extended the All Whites’ wait for a first World Cup victory.”It’s been a long journey, and I’m proud of the boys,” said Just. “Everyone gave everything. It just wasn’t enough.”Belgium welcomed back winger Jérémy Doku after he missed the draw against Iran through illness and briefly returned to London for the birth of his son. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois also set a national record by making his 18th World Cup appearance, surpassing Enzo Scifo.
Belgium finds its rhythm with five-goal rout to top Group G
