BRUSSELS :Kevin De Bruyne came to Belgium’s rescue with a winner two minutes from time as they scraped a 4-3 home victory over Wales in their World Cup qualifier on Monday after seeing their early lead evaporate as the visitors launched an unlikely fightback.
Belgium had been 3-0 up inside the first half hour, but Wales battled back to level the game before the Belgian talisman handed his side a potentially precious win in the Group J qualifiers for the 2026 finals in North America.
It was a controversy-filled encounter with two penalties and several lengthy interventions by VAR.
Belgium’s record goalscorer Romelu Lukaku got things going with a 15th minute penalty, followed by goals in the 19th minute for captain Youri Tielemans and Jeremy Doku in the 27th minute.
Wales pulled a goal back from a Harry Wilson spotkick on the stroke of halftime and then turned the game around with second half strikes from Sorba Thomas and Brennan Johnson.
De Bruyne, however, brought the home team much relief with a back post finish in the 88th minute as he ghosted in unmarked to get onto the end of a Tielemans long cross from the other side of the field.
It was De Bruyne who got things going early on with a point-blank strike that struck Johnson on the arm and, after a lengthy VAR check, led to Belgium taking the lead as Lukaku slotted home his 89th goal for Belgium.
Four minutes later, a sweeping move from the right flank to the left was started when De Bruyne stole away possession and quickly led to the second home goal, finished by Tielemans slamming home a square pass from Maxim De Cuyper.
SHELL-SHOCKED
Doku then added the third with a fine individual effort. He was walking with the ball at his feet, teasing the visiting defenders on the right side of the attack before quickly cutting inside and unleashing a left-footed drive that Wales goalkeeper Karl Darlow got a hand to but could not keep out.
A shell-shocked Wales were handed a lifeline in stoppage time at the end of the first half when home goalkeeper Matz Sels was adjudged to have fouled Chris Mepham as he attempted to punch away a setpiece and Wilson converted the resultant spotkick.
Wilson then played a sublime cross-field pass to find Thomas on the left and he had ample time to finish to offer his side some hope as the score went to 3-2 in the 61st minute.
Wales’ 70th-minute equaliser came in almost similar fashion with Wilson picking out Thomas, who headed the ball back across the goal for Johnson to finish.
But Wales had their hopes dashed at the end to slip to second in the standings behind North Macedonia, who won 1-0 away earlier on Monday in Kazakhstan.
North Macedonia have eight points to Wales’ seven after four matches for both sides while Belgium have four after two fixtures completed.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in London; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
