Belgium’s Red Devils dug deep and fought to the end to secure a thrilling 4-3 win over Wales at King Baudouin Stadium on Monday, marking their first victory in the FIFA World Cup qualifying round.
After just 30 minutes, it seemed like the match was decided, as Romelu Lukaku gave Belgium an early lead with a penalty won by Kevin De Bruyne. Belgium’s national team rediscovered their form, and the second goal came with a smooth move when Youri Tielemans capitalised on a back pass from Maxim De Cuyper. Jérémy Doku then added to the score after a dazzling play, making it 3-0.
Harry Wilson’s penalty just before half-time seemed insignificant at first, but Sorba Thomas’s goal for Wales early in the second half raised alarm bells for Belgium. Brennan Johnson completed Wales’ comeback with a goal that left Brussels stunned, levelling the score at 3-3. However, Kevin De Bruyne emerged as Belgium’s saviour, scoring the winning goal in the 88th minute.
This victory boosts Belgium’s confidence after their draw in North Macedonia on Friday, placing them third in Group J with four points from two matches. Their direct competitors, North Macedonia and Wales, have eight and seven points, respectively, from four games each.
The national team’s next fixtures are in September, and nothing less than victory will be enough when they play Liechtenstein away on Thursday, 4 September, followed by a home match against Kazakhstan on Sunday, 7 September.
