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Attendance: 43,257
Belgium national football team
World Cup | Group Stage
Jun 18, 2018 at 4pm UK
 
Panama national football team

3-0

Mertens (47'), Lukaku (69', 75')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Romelu Lukaku stars as Belgium beat Panama

A flurry of second-half goals secure Belgium a 3-0 win over Panama in their opening World Cup Group G game at the Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi.

Romelu Lukaku scored twice to help Belgium to a 3-0 win over Panama in their opening World Cup Group G game at the Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi this afternoon.

Tournament debutants Panama deservedly made it to half time unscathed, but Belgium's world-class talent showed with a flurry of high-quality goals in the second period.

An eye-catching volley from Dries Mertens ended Panama's resistance two minutes after the restart, and Manchester United striker Lukaku followed with two tidy finishes of his own to make the scoreline more convincing.

Belgium's Romelu Lukaku scores their second goal in the match against Panama on June 18, 2018 © Reuters

Roberto Martinez's side were quick out of the blocks and forced two early saves out of veteran Panama goalkeeper Jaime Penedo, who kept out Yannick Carrasco and Mertens to prevent his side from suffering a nightmare start.

Defender Roman Torres scored the goal which booked Panama's ticket to Russia but the defender nearly lost his national hero status when his short back-pass gifted Eden Hazard a golden opportunity which he failed to convert from a tight angle on 12 minutes.

Belgium's chances became more infrequent as the half developed and the minnows began to grow into the grand occasion, although Mertens did shoot into the side-netting, and Hazard called Penedo into action once again following a burst of pace into the box.

The Central Americans did not pose much of an attacking threat, but by the time that Armando Cooper fired over from 25 yards on 44 minutes, they had at least managed to quell the danger coming from their star-studded opponents.

That was until Mertens relieved the pressure growing on the Red Devils with a skilful volley on 47 minutes, instinctively lifting the ball over Penedo and inside the far post after Panama had squandered several chances to clear.

Panama's best chance to equalise came eight minutes later when makeshift wing-back Carrasco switched off from his defensive duties to allow Michael Murillo a one-on-one that was saved by Thibaut Courtois.

Two goals in six minutes from Lukaku then settled proceedings, firstly steering in a 69th-minute header that was supplied by an outside-of-the-boot cross from Kevin De Bruyne.

Another of Belgium's Premier League stars provided Lukaku with his second as Chelsea playmaker Hazard burst forward on the counter and released the 25-year-old for a deft chip over Penedo - his 38th international goal in 70 caps.

Belgium take their place at the top of Group G ahead of England's opening game against Tunisia.

BELGIUM (3-4-2-1): Courtois; Alderweireld, Boyata, Vertonghen; Meunier, De Bruyne, Witsel (Chadli, 90'), Carrasco (Dembele, 76'); Mertens (T Hazard, 83'), Lukaku, E. Hazard

PANAMA (4-1-4-1): Penedo; Murillo, Escobar, R. Torres, Davis; Gomez; Godoy, Cooper, Barcenas (G Torres, 63'), Rodriguez (Diaz, 63'); Perez (Tejada, 73')

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Eden Hazard in action for Belgium on June 2, 2018
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Netherlands Netherlands32107
Q Senegal flag Senegal32016
3 Ecuador flag Ecuador31114
4 Qatar Qatar30030

Group B

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Q England flag England32107
Q United States USA31205
3 Iran Iran31023
4 Wales flag Wales30121

Group C

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Q Argentina Argentina32016
Q Poland Poland31114
3 Mexico Mexico31114
4 Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia31023

Group D

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Q France France32016
Q Australia Australia32016
3 Tunisia Tunisia31114
4 Denmark Denmark30121

Group E

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Q Japan Japan32016
Q Spain Spain31114
3 Germany Germany31114
4 Costa Rica flag Costa Rica31023

Group F

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Q Morocco Morocco32107
Q Croatia Croatia31205
3 Belgium Belgium31114
4 Canada Canada30030

Group G

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Q Brazil Brazil32016
Q Switzerland Switzerland32016
3 Cameroon flag Cameroon31114
4 Serbia Serbia30121

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Portugal Portugal32016
Q Republic of Korea South Korea31114
3 Uruguay flag Uruguay31114
4 Ghana flag Ghana31023

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