Belgium Thrash New Zealand...

FIFA World Cup

Leandro Trossard netted twice as Belgium secured their spot in the World Cup knockout stage with a commanding victory over New Zealand.

In a crucial match for both teams, Belgium responded to their earlier disappointing performances in the tournament, showcasing their strength from the outset in Vancouver.

Trossard opened the scoring in the 28th minute, taking advantage of a Kevin de Bruyne corner that bounced around the six-yard box. The Arsenal striker found the net from close range after the ball deflected off defender Tim Payne.

Rudi Garcia’s squad was close to a runaway lead before halftime, but it wasn’t until five minutes into the second half that they doubled their advantage.

De Bruyne sent a pass to Trossard, whose initial attempt was blocked, but he cleverly volleyed in the rebound at the near post.

The win was solidified in the 66th minute when De Bruyne unleashed a powerful left-footed shot from 20 yards into the bottom corner.

New Zealand managed to score through Elijah Just, scoring his third goal of the tournament, but Belgium quickly regained their three-goal lead when Romelu Lukaku scored with a header just 56 seconds after coming on as a substitute.

A second substitute, Alexis Saelemaekers capped the scoring with a fifth goal in injury time.

With Egypt failing to beat Iran, Belgium ended up topping Group G based on goal difference and will meet a third-placed team in the Round of 32 on Wednesday (21:00 BST).

In contrast, New Zealand exits the World Cup after securing just one point from three matches.

Trossard and De Bruyne Stand Out as Belgium Shines

It took until their final group stage match, but Belgium has finally made their mark in this World Cup.

While they may not be the formidable squad of the past, with many from the 2018 golden generation nearing the end of their careers, expectations were high following their earlier matches against Egypt and Iran.

The way they dismantled a determined, yet overmatched, New Zealand side illustrated their potential.

There was an urgency to their play that had previously been missing, and their sharp one-touch passing around the penalty area left the All Whites struggling to cope within just minutes of kickoff.

Trossard was a constant threat with his direct style, consistently troubling the New Zealand defense, especially with the creative support of De Bruyne, which allowed for many attacking opportunities.

A collaboration between the two even resulted in a potential penalty for Belgium due to handball, which was overturned after a VAR review. De Bruyne was instrumental in both of Trossard’s goals and effectively ended the match by scoring the third goal himself.

The caliber of opponents will only increase from this point on, but if Trossard and De Bruyne can maintain this level of performance, Belgium could still make a significant impact in the tournament.

What Comes Next for Both Teams?

Having qualified for the knockout stage, Belgium now awaits its opponent for their match in Seattle on Wednesday (21:00 BST).

As things stand, South Korea could be their next challenge, but this could change as three groups are yet to conclude.

New Zealand, unfortunately, has been eliminated from the tournament.

Belgium Thrash New Zealand…