Belgium crush New Zealand to win Group G and reach last 32

Belgium secured first place in World Cup Group G with a dominant 5-1 victory over New Zealand in Vancouver. A double from Leandro Trossard, alongside goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and substitute Alexis Saelemaekers, capped off their best performance of the tournament. Elijah Just scored a late consolation for the All Whites, who exit the competition bottom of the group with a single point.

The result saw Belgium climb three spots in the group standings during the final two hours of matches. Egypt finished second after clinging to a 1-1 draw against Iran, who were denied a stoppage-time winner by VAR and must now wait to see if they qualify as one of the eight best third-placed teams.

For the Belgian public, the performance provided a decisive shift in momentum after two underwhelming opening matches. The squad finally displayed the fluid, attacking football expected of them, overpowering a New Zealand side that struggled to establish a foothold at BC Place. The victory also carried a broader significance for supporters, relieving the pressure that weighed heavily on the previous generation of players under former manager Roberto Martinez.

"I feel more optimistic after Belgium’s showing," noted supporter Shyam, reflecting a wider sentiment. "Yes, some of their luminaries like Hazard are not there, but the pressure is less going into the knockout stage. Most of all they do not have Roberto Martinez who buggered up their Golden Generation!"

Belgium will now face the third-placed team from Group A, I or J, with South Korea, Senegal or Algeria the potential opponents. With De Bruyne and Trossard withdrawn at the 71st minute to rest, the squad appears to be strategically managing its resources for a deep run.

For New Zealand, the defeat marks the end of their third World Cup campaign. Head coach Darren Bazeley emphasised the long-term value of the experience despite the immediate disappointment. "The results hurts. I’m proud of the performance and the work-rate," Bazeley said. "We had to deal with a very good team for very long periods today."

Bazeley pointed to the expanded 48-team format as a catalyst for the programme's continued development. "The experience of this is going to make us better. Next tournament, we’ll be a lot more hardened," he said. "It’s a long way off and it hurts right now because we came to get out of the group and we haven’t done that, but we had chances to do it."