International Friendlies
Jun 7, 2014 7.45pm
1
0
HT : 0 0
FT
  • Jan Verthonghen 46' yellowcard
  • Dries Merten 89' goal
  • yellowcard Aymen Abdennour 32'
  • yellowcard Issam Jomaa 46'
  • yellowcard Khaled Korbi 54'
  • redcard Ammar Jemal 63'
  • yellowcard Hamza Mathlouthi 82'

Romelu Lukaku limps off field in Belgium's slender friendly victory

Lukaku limps off in Belgium victory

Romelu Lukaku limped off the field late on this evening during Belgium's narrow 1-0 victory against 10-man Tunisia.

With 22 minutes on the clock, the match was called to a halt due to torrential hail which made playing conditions unsafe. Following a near 40-minute stoppage, the referee signalled the teams back onto the field and the game could resume once more.

The disruption seemed to affect Belgium's play, with Divock Origi coming closest to giving the hosts a first-half lead on 38 minutes when he was picked out by Moussa Dembele, but he poked his effort just wide of the target.

Issam Jemaa was dismissed for Tunisia just after the hour mark to give Belgium further impetus to push on and find a goal, and they nearly found one when Jan Vertonghen's left-footed drive sailed narrowly wide.

The Red Dragons were beginning to run out of time to find a breakthrough, but six minutes from the end Adnan Januzaj, who looked lively throughout, whipped a ball into the box which was headed wide by Anthony Vanden Borre.

Then, with just one minute of normal time remaining, Dries Mertens coolly slotted the ball past Farouk Ben Mustapha to win the game at the death for the home side, but the victory was overshadowed when Lukaku limped down the tunnel following a 50/50 challenge in the closing seconds.

Belgium get their World Cup campaign underway when they take on Algeria.

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