VANCOUVER - Leandro Trossard scored twice as Belgium thrashed New Zealand 5-1 at the World Cup on Friday to seal top spot in Group G and a place in the round of 32, while the Kiwis bowed out of the tournament.
Belgium finished above Egypt on goal difference after they both finished with five points from three matches, followed by Iran on three points and New Zealand on one. In the other match in the group, Egypt drew 1-1 with Iran.
Belgium will next face one of the eight best third-placed teams.
The Belgians dominated from the outset and were the only side to threaten in the opening half, enjoying the bulk of possession.
Trossard thought he had given Belgium the lead in the 11th minute, only to see his effort strike the post and bounce to safety.
Minutes later, Belgium were awarded a penalty after New Zealand defender Finn Surman was hit on the arm by Trossard’s shot. However, following a VAR review, the referee ruled that Surman’s arm was in a natural position and overturned the decision.
Belgium’s pressure finally told in the 28th minute when Trossard converted Kevin De Bruyne’s cross from close range, finishing off a well-worked move to break the deadlock.
Trossard, 31, doubled Belgium’s lead in the 50th minute, again combining effectively with De Bruyne as he latched on to a through ball, controlled it on his chest and volleyed home from close range.
New Zealand threatened when Elijah Just forced Thibaut Courtois into action in the 54th minute, the goalkeeper diving low to push away their first shot on target.
De Bruyne added a third goal soon after, striking low from the edge of the box after being set up by Trossard, taking one touch on to his left foot before driving the ball into the bottom corner. The 34-year-old became the oldest player to score for Belgium at a World Cup.
The goal drew chants of “Oh Kevin De Bruyne” from Belgium fans at BC Place, where both sets of supporters turned out in large numbers.
New Zealand pulled one back through Just in the 84th minute, but Lukaku restored Belgium’s three-goal lead with a powerful header before fellow substitute Alexis Saelemaekers added a fifth in stoppage time to compound a miserable night for New Zealand, who are still waiting for their first World Cup victory. (Story continues below)
Nervous wait for Iran
In Seattle, meanwhile, Iran face an anxious wait to see if they will progress after they came from behind to hold Egypt to a 1-1 draw, which ended in dramatic fashion with an apparent last-ditch winner ruled out for offside.
Egypt, whose qualification for the last-32 was already guaranteed, took the lead inside five minutes through Mahmoud Saber, before Ramin Rezaeian equalised from a tight angle in the 14th minute of a frantic start.
The early action fizzled out as the game became scrappy until a remarkable finale in which Iran hit the woodwork before snatching what seemed a famous win, only to have VAR intervene.
Iran’s Mehdi Taremi – who had a penalty saved in the first half – hit the crossbar with a late header before Shoja Khalilzadeh fired home in the 93rd minute, sparking wild celebrations as the Iran bench streamed onto the pitch.
But Khalilzadeh had strayed just offside and Egypt clung on for a draw, which means they finish second with five points, behind Belgium on goal difference, and will play Australia in Dallas on July 3 in the knockout phase.
Iran are third on three points and must wait for confirmation that they will go through as one of the eight best third-placed teams. At the moment they are ranked sixth.
