Belgium 5 Tunisia 2: Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard both score twice as Red Devils all-but seal qualification into last-16
Michy Batshuayi netted a late strike as Roberto Martinez's side prepared for their Group G clash against England
JUST how do you stop these Belgium boys from scoring?
Answers on a postcard please. Addressed to Gareth Southgate.
The rampant Red Devils simply ran riot against Tunisia, with Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard both bagging a brace.
And their display will surely have sent a shiver down Southgate’s spine ahead of their Group G clash against England in Kaliningrad on Thursday.
After their 3-0 victory over Panama in Sochi last Monday, Belgium put on a five-star showing here in Moscow.
And their spot in the last 16 will now be sealed if England avoid defeat against Panama tomorrow.
Hazard scored the first from the spot after only six minutes, before Lukaku struck twice either side of Dylan Bronn’s header for the African side.
Belgium captain Hazard put the game to bed after the break, then Michy Batshuayi scored a fifth before Wabhi Khazri’s late consolation.
Tunisia, who are now on the brink of elimination, frustrated England for large parts on Monday but had no answer to Roberto Martinez’s men.
The African side showed their intent from kick off, taking dangerman Hazard out with a cynical foul after only 16 seconds.
And it was another rash tackle which handed Belgium their sixth-minute opener.
Syam Ben Youssef scythed Hazard down and referee Jair Marrufo pointed to the spot after VAR confirmed contact was just inside the box.
And Hazard coolly rolled the ball inside keeper Farouk Ben Mustapha right post.
The Belgium captain, who was constantly being cropped, could have a second soon after but scuffed his shot from Lukaku’s cross.
But the Red Devils did double their tally after only 16 minutes.
Tunisia left-back Ali Maaloul gave the ball straight to Dries Mertens with a terrible touch.
And the Napoli forward slipped in Lukaku, who steadied himself before clinically striking left-footed into his far right corner.
Tunisia were actually back in it 109 seconds later, as Bronn - the only player on the pitch to play his club football in Belgium - headed in Khazri’s whipped free-kick.
The Red Devils, though, continued to pile forward, with Lukaku missing one chance after a clumsy touch and then Kevin De Bruyne just failing to find him with a loose final pass.
But their pressure told in the third minute of injury time, as Ali Malloul gave the ball away again, and Meunier ran across the edge of the box and played in Lukaku.
And the Manchester United man just dinked it over Ben Mustapha to become Belgium’s most prolific ever scorer in tournament football, surpassing Jan Ceulemans’ six strikes.
Lukaku is now level in the Golden Boot race with Cristiano Ronaldo on four.
And he would no doubt have been eyeing up hat-trick - but instead it was Hazard who sealed things six minutes after the break.
Toby Alderweireld found him with a pin-point long pass, and Hazard chested it down, took a touch to take it past Ben Mustapha then slotted it into the empty net.
With their work done, Lukaku and Hazard were then taken off to give them a rest before England.
But Belgium were still not finished, as substitute Batshuayi missed three chances before finally finding the net from Youri Tielemans’ cross in the last minute.
Khazri did get a second for Tunisia in injury time after he rolled in Hamdi Naguez’s cross.
But in truth the 5-2 scoreline flattered them. Belgium could have had ten.