Belgium demolished New Zealand 5-1 at BC Place on Saturday, ending their Group G campaign with an emphatic victory that moved them to five points.
The result lifts Belgium above New Zealand and Iran on points. With Egypt leading the group, the Red Devils now wait to see if five points are enough to advance.
The New Zealand head coach started with Chris Wood leading the line solo, supported by Singh and Thomas in all ten areas. Bell and Stamenic held the midfield two.
The opening was no surprise given Belgium’s dominance. They had a total of 35 shots over the 90 minutes, with New Zealand goalkeeper Crocombe keeping the deficit manageable in the first half.
De Bruyne added a third in the 66th minute, finishing calmly to put Belgium in full control. New Zealand offered little response, managing just two shots on target all night.
Saelemaekers completed the scoring in injury time, converting a Lukaku lay-off to make it five. Belgium’s ruthlessness in the closing stages underlined the gulf between the two sides.
New Zealand made six changes at half-time and beyond, but wholesale rotation disrupted their form and gave Belgium even more space to exploit as the game wore on.
