New Zealand 1-5 Belgium
Belgium finally clicked, hammering New Zealand 5-1 to win Group G, while New Zealand finish at the bottom of the group and go home.
How the match went
Belgium had drawn their first 2 games and badly needed a win, and they finally let loose in Vancouver.
Their winger Leandro Trossard opened the scoring in the 28th minute to make it 1-0 at the break.
Trossard struck again in the 50th minute, and from there the floodgates opened.
Their playmaker Kevin De Bruyne made it 3-0 in the 66th minute with a goal of real quality.
New Zealand grabbed a deserved goal back through Elijah Just in the 84th minute, after they had fought hard all tournament.
But Belgium were not done, as Romelu Lukaku made it 4-1 in the 86th and Alexis Saelemaekers added a 5th right at the end.
Belgium, who had drawn 1-1 with Egypt and 0-0 with Iran, saved their best for last to finish at the top of Group G.
New Zealand, who had drawn 2-2 with Iran and lost 3-1 to Egypt, finish at the bottom of the group and head home with their heads held high.
Key moments
- ⚽ 28' Trossard (Belgium)
- ⚽ 50' Trossard (Belgium)
- ⚽ 66' De Bruyne (Belgium)
- ⚽ 84' Just (New Zealand)
- ⚽ 86' Lukaku (Belgium)
- ⚽ 90+4' Saelemaekers (Belgium)
Goals in the order they were scored.
Match highlights
Watch on YouTube- Date
- Friday, June 26
- Kickoff Time
- 20:00 (Vancouver time)
- Stage
- Group stage, Group G
- Stadium
- BC Place, Vancouver
- Attendance
- 52,497
- Referee
- Adham Makhadmeh (Jordan)
What's next for Belgium?
Belgium win Group G and are through to the round of 32.
After 2 slow draws, a 5-1 win is the perfect way to find their mojo before the knockouts.
With De Bruyne and Lukaku firing, their hopes of winning the World Cup are alive again.
What's next for New Zealand?
New Zealand are out, finishing bottom of Group G with just 1 point.
But they led against Egypt and scored against a star-packed Belgium, so they more than competed.
For a side ranked well below the rest of the group, this was a tournament to be proud of.
Common questions
What was the final score of New Zealand vs Belgium?
Belgium won 5-1. It was 0-1 at half-time, then Belgium pulled away with 4 more goals in the second half.
Who scored for Belgium against New Zealand?
Leandro Trossard scored twice, in the 28th and 50th minutes. Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, and Alexis Saelemaekers got the other goals.
Did Belgium win Group G?
Yes. The 5-1 win sent Belgium to the top of Group G, and they are through to the round of 32.
Why are New Zealand out of the World Cup?
New Zealand finished at the bottom of Group G with just 1 point, from a draw with Iran. That was not enough to reach the next round, so their tournament is over.