Belgium dismantle New Zealand to seal Group G
Belgium crushed New Zealand 5-1 at BC Place, and the margin matters: Rudi Garcia’s side climbed above Egypt to win Group G on goal difference. The 4-2-3-1 shape delivered exactly what the staff briefed. Leandro Trossard scored in the 28th and 50th minutes, Kevin De Bruyne added the third on 66 minutes, and the late bench impact from Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Saelemaekers inflated the tally once the game was already broken open.
Trossard provided the clinical edge during a dominant opening half. Working off De Bruyne’s central pockets, the Arsenal forward found space between full back Tim Payne and centre back Finn Surman to open the scoring in the 28th minute. New Zealand tried to reset at the interval, with F. Schmid sending on Jesse Randall and Benjamin Old for Sarpreet Singh and Ryan Thomas in the 46th minute, but that same passage brought a yellow card for Marko Stamenic that previewed a ragged second period for the All Whites.
The restart only widened the gulf. Trossard doubled the lead in the 50th minute after Hans Vanaken split the lines, and Elijah Just picked up his own booking in the 56th minute as New Zealand struggled to live with the tempo. By then, Jérémy Doku had made way for Matías Fernández-Pardo, keeping Belgium’s right flank fresh. De Bruyne’s goal in the 66th minute emphasised Belgium’s superiority before Garcia rotated again, introducing Saelemaekers and Amadou Onana for Trossard and De Bruyne in the 72nd minute.
Schmid burned more changes on 64 minutes, Michael Boxall and Callum McCowatt replacing Payne and Joe Bell, yet the response came only once Belgium eased. Just struck in the 84th minute to cut the deficit, but Garcia’s final switch finished the contest. Lukaku and Nicolas Raskin entered for Charles De Ketelaere and Youri Tielemans in the 85th minute, and within sixty seconds the pair combined, Raskin feeding Lukaku for the fourth goal in the 86th minute. Lukaku then turned provider for Saelemaekers in the fourth minute of stoppage time, a neat confirmation of Belgium’s depth.
From a tactical perspective Belgium’s control was absolute. Tielemans and Vanaken dictated with short, sharp distribution, combining for 103 successful passes, with Vanaken supplying seven key passes as they exploited the half-spaces behind New Zealand’s double pivot. Maxim De Cuyper and Timothy Castagne pushed high without fear thanks to Belgium’s numerical dominance in midfield, helping the Red Devils rack up 35 attempts and an expected goals figure of 3.60. New Zealand, locked in their own 4-2-3-1, mustered just six shots and an xG of 0.24; Max Crocombe made five saves yet still conceded five times.
That leaves Belgium on five points, first place secured ahead of Egypt after the Pharaohs’ draw with Iran earlier in the day. New Zealand depart with a single point and a -6 goal difference, rooted to the foot of the group. Garcia has the green light to plot the Round of 32 now, with Lukaku pushing to start and fresh legs waiting after Onana, Saelemaekers and Raskin all impressed off the bench. Schmid faces a longer review, tasked with turning sporadic promise into a reliable attacking plan before the next qualification cycle.
Key stats
- Shots: New Zealand 6, Belgium 35
- Expected goals: New Zealand 0.24, Belgium 3.60
- Possession: New Zealand 45 percent, Belgium 55 percent
- Saves: Max Crocombe 5, Thibaut Courtois 1
- Discipline: Marko Stamenic yellow 46', Elijah Just yellow 56'
