Trossard Double Fires Belgium to Dominant 5-1 Win Over New Zealand to Top Group G

Belgium swept aside New Zealand 5-1 in Vancouver on Saturday to win Group G and book their place in the round of 32. 

Leandro Trossard scored twice, Kevin de Bruyne added a stunning third and late goals from substitutes Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Saelemaekers completed a ruthless performance. 

New Zealand are eliminated after taking just one point from three games. Belgium will face South Korea in the last 32 as things stand.

It was a must-win game for both sides, with Belgium needing victory after two unconvincing draws to open their campaign. They delivered from the first whistle, though it took until the 28th minute for the opener to arrive. A de Bruyne corner bounced in the six-yard box and deflected off defender Tim Payne before Trossard finished from close range.

Belgium could have been well clear by half time but had to wait until five minutes after the break for their second. De Bruyne played a sharp pass into Trossard, whose first effort was blocked, but he reacted quickly to volley the rebound in at the near post.

De Bruyne then put the game beyond doubt in the 66th minute, drilling a crisp left-footed strike into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

New Zealand gave themselves brief hope when Elijah Just thumped in his third goal of the tournament, but the response was swift. Lukaku, on the pitch for less than a minute after coming off the bench, headed in to restore the three-goal advantage just 56 seconds later. Fellow substitute Saelemaekers added a fifth in injury time, slotting home to cap a commanding evening for Rudi Garcia's side.

Egypt's failure to beat Iran same day confirmed Belgium as group winners on goal difference. New Zealand bow out of their third World Cup having managed just one point across their three matches.