Report, score and goals as the Red Devils take a big step towards the World Cup finals

Belgium has taken a big step towards… 2026 World Cup Finals They overcame an early setback to defeat Wales 4-2 in a crucial qualifying match.

Wales have proven to be a thorn in Belgium’s side over the years, and the Red Devils needed a late goal from Kevin De Bruyne to beat the Dragons 4-3 in the reverse fixture in Brussels after an improbable comeback from Craig Bellamy’s men.

De Bruyne played a key role in deciding this game for Belgium, although it looked as if it would be Wales’ night when Joe Rodon headed home in the eighth minute.

But De Bruyne equalized from the penalty spot after a handball from Ethan Ampadu inside the box, and Thomas Meunier put Belgium ahead after excellent work from the great Jeremy Doku.

A second De Bruyne penalty 14 minutes from time gave Belgium control, and although Nathan Brodhead halved the deficit late on, Leandro Trossard’s 90th-minute goal meant the seven minutes of stoppage time did not see a frantic finish.

After North Macedonia’s 1-1 draw with Kazakhstan, Belgium leads Group 10 by one point. Wales is four points behind third-placed team. They and Belgium have a game in hand against North Macedonia, who Craig Bellamy’s men will face in their final qualifier in Cardiff next month, with that match likely to be a penalty shootout for a place in the qualifiers.

Belgium recovers after Wales’ hot start

Rodon was left completely unmarked and met Sorba Thomas’s corner with a header that Thibaut Courtois was unable to clear, but De Bruyne raced into the bottom left corner after a VAR check led to referee Daniel Seibert pointing to a penalty despite Ampadu being cross.

Doku then showed tremendous acceleration to chase down Trossard’s cross and passed the ball for Meunier to slot into Darlow’s hands at the near post.

Arthur Theat, Trossard and De Bruyne all had chances to make it 3-1 after that, although Wales maintained the threat and Courtois’ shot was blocked by Jordan James before Harry Wilson fired wide of the post with a side shot that needed to be attacked.

The Red Devils wrap it up

Doku leaned over the edge of the box three minutes into the second half, and it looked as if Belgium might pay the price for their profligacy as Wales exercised a period of control over the game.

But a moment of misjudgment from James effectively decided the game, with the midfielder gifting Belgium a second penalty after what was clearly a deliberate handball.

Once again, De Bruyne made no mistake as he doubled his tally. Brodhead briefly sent the home fans home when he criticized the Welsh press, but Trossard extinguished that belief by firing under Darlow after being teed up by Timothy Castagne at the end of Belgium’s brilliant move.

With the confrontation between Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein in the final qualifiers, Belgium has become almost certain of qualifying automatically at the end of its test campaign.