Belgium defeated Turkey 3-0 in a UEFA Nations League Group 1 fixture held at Stade Maurice Dufrasne in Liège, with midfielder Kevin De Bruyne scoring twice and forward Romelu Lukaku adding a late goal to secure the victory, RTBF reported.
Kevin De Bruyne Leads the Red Devils With Two Goals
Kevin De Bruyne opened the scoring for Belgium in the first half after combining with Dodi Lukebakio, executing a neat stepover past a defender before firing a right-footed shot past the Turkish goalkeeper. De Bruyne added his second goal after the interval with a precise, stationary strike into the top corner. DHnet rated De Bruyne’s performance a 9 out of 10, noting that the midfielder was omnipresent and created the match’s primary scoring chances before receiving a yellow card that will suspend him for an upcoming fixture against France.
Romelu Lukaku Secures the Match With His 94th International Goal
Romelu Lukaku sealed the 3-0 final scoreline in the 83rd minute by converting a pass from Charles De Ketelaere inside the six-yard box. RTL Info noted that the goal marked Lukaku’s 94th for the Red Devils, a record. The sequence followed an energetic late sprint by the striker, capping off a second half where Turkey applied intermittent pressure without finding an equalizer.
Tactical Setup and Squad Selections in Liège
Van Bommel fielded a starting lineup featuring Senne Lammens in goal, supported by a defensive line of Timothy Castagne, Brandon Mechele, Joel Ngoy, and Maxim De Cuyper. In the midfield, Hans Vanaken, Youri Tielemans, and Kevin De Bruyne started alongside an attacking trio of Mika Godts, Dodi Lukebakio, and Charles De Ketelaere. Paris Match reported prior to kickoff that the squad welcomed back Leandro Trossard from a heel edema and Mike Penders from a quadriceps issue, though Diego Moreira missed the match due to an accumulation of yellow cards. Van Bommel stated, Pour le reste, tout le monde est apte
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Individual Performances Under Scrutiny at Sclessin
Ratings published by DHnet highlighted mixed displays across the Belgian roster. Dodi Lukebakio earned a 6.5 rating after hitting the goal frame twice and providing the assist for De Bruyne’s opener, while Youri Tielemans and Romeo Lavia both received 6.5 marks for stabilizing the midfield. Conversely, winger Mika Godts struggled to impact his individual duels and finished with a 4 rating, while defender Maxim De Cuyper and midfielder Hans Vanaken were each graded 6 and 5 respectively as Turkey probed the flanks through players like Arda Güler.
Missed Chances for Vincenzo Montella Squad
Turkey arrived in Liège following previous Nations League defeats against France and Italy. Manager Vincenzo Montella watched his side create openings throughout the match, most notably when defender Merih Demiral missed an open goal from close range following a corner kick in the first half. Goalkeeper Senne Lammens preserved the clean sheet for Belgium by denying subsequent efforts from Güler and other visiting attackers in the closing stages. Van Bommel noted regarding the opposition that they had analyzed matches showing that in terms of expected goals, the opponents constantly dominated their adversaries despite not advancing from their World Cup group. The Red Devils previously played at Sclessin in November during a World Cup qualifier where they defeated Liechtenstein 7-0.
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