Belgium 5-2 Tunisia: Red Devils almost reach last 16 as both Lukaku & Hazard net double

Belgium almost book last 16 place with a 5-2 win over Tunisia. Both Harzard & Lukaku, who equals Ronaldo's tournament tally to 4, net double. World Cup debutant Batshuayi scores a 5th late on. Tunisia eliminated.

2018 World Cup

5-2

Match Events

6' Penalty Goal! Belgium 1-0 Tunisia (E. Hazard)

Goal!  Belgium 1, Tunisia 0. Eden Hazard (Belgium) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.

12' Hazard nearly scores another goal

16' GOAL! Belgium 2-0 Tunisia (R. Lukaku)

Goal!  Belgium 2, Tunisia 0. Romelu Lukaku (Belgium) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Dries Mertens following a fast break.

18' GOAL! Belgium 2-1 Tunisia (D. Bronn)

Goal!  Belgium 2, Tunisia 1. Dylan Bronn (Tunisia) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Wahbi Khazri with a cross following a set piece situation.

23' Tunisia goalscorer Bronn stretchered off

46' What a miss from Lukaku!

48' GOAL! Belgium 3-1 Tunisia (R. Lukaku)

Goal!  Belgium 3, Tunisia 1. Romelu Lukaku (Belgium) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Thomas Meunier with a through ball.

51' GOAL! Belgium 4-1 Tunisia (E. Hazard)

Goal!  Belgium 4, Tunisia 1. Eden Hazard (Belgium) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Toby Alderweireld with a through ball.

59' Goalscorer Lukaku is replaced by Fellaini - much to everyone's surprise

60' CLOSE! Carrasco's shot wide out

66' CHANCE! Badri's shot saved

75' WHAT A CHANCE! Batshuayi's shot blocked off the line

81' Incredible! Batshuayi misses two golden chances!

90' GOAL! Belgium 5-1 Tunisia (M. Batshuayi)

Goal!  Belgium 5, Tunisia 1. Michy Batshuayi (Belgium) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Youri Tielemans with a cross.

93' GOAL! Belgium 5-2 Tunisia (W. Khazri)

Goal!  Belgium 5, Tunisia 2. Wahbi Khazri (Tunisia) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Hamdi Nagguez.

Match reports

Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard both scored braces as Belgium crushed Tunisia 5-2 to all but secure their place in the World Cup knockout stages.

The Red Devils just need England to avoid defeat to Panama in Sunday's other Group G game to confirm their last-16 spot and no team at Russia 2018 w

ill want to be drawn against Roberto Martinez's side after this swashbuckling display.

Belgium were dominant from the outset, taking a 2-0 lead inside 16 minutes through Hazard's penalty and Lukaku's fine finish.

Dylan Bronn then handed the African side an unlikely lifeline before Lukaku - who scored twice in the opening 3-0 win over Panama - restored Belgium's lead to become his country's all-time top scorer at major tournaments with seven goals.

Hazard netted his second early in the second half, while substitute Michy Batshuayi – who had earlier missed three golden opportunities – scored a fifth in the 90th minute. Wahbi Khazri bagged a late consolation for Tunisia, but it did little to take the shine off a memorable result for Belgium.

Line-ups

Belgium XI: Jan Vertonghen, Axel Witsel, Eden Hazard, Dries Mertens, Toby Alderweireld, Thibaut Courtois, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Thomas Meunier, Dedryck Boyata, Yannick Carrasco

Subs: Vincent Kompany, Thomas Vermaelen, Mousa Dembélé, Simon Mignolet, Marouane Fellaini, Nacer Chadli, Koen Casteels, Thorgan Hazard, Michy Batshuayi, Leander Dendoncker, Adnan Januzaj, Youri Tielemans

Tunisia XI: Farouk Ben Mustapha, Wahbi Khazri, Syam Ben Youssef, Ali Maâloul, Anice Badri, Ferjani Sassi, Fakhreddine Ben Youssef, Ellyes Skhiri, Saif-Eddine Khaoui, Yassine Meriah, Dylan Bronn

Subs: Aymen Mathlouthi, Yohan Benalouane, Saber Khalifa, Oussama Haddadi, Naim Sliti, Rami Bedoui, Hamdi Nagguez, A. Khalil, Mohamed Ben Amor, G. Chalali, Bassem Srarfi