Lukaku bags brace as Belgium coast to victory against Costa Rica
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ByEurosport
Updated 11/06/2018 at 21:52 GMT
International friendly, King Baudouin Stadium – Belgium 4 (Mertens, 31, Lukaku, 42, 50, Batshuayi, 64') Costa Rica 1 (Ruiz, 24)
Belgium's forward Romelu Lukaku (R) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal after scoring a goal during the international friendly football match between Belgium and Costa Rica at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on June 11, 2018.
Image credit: Getty Images
Romelu Lukaku hit a brace as Belgium beat Costa Rica 4-1 on Monday in an international friendly at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels.
The Red Devils, who will contest Group G with England, Panama and Tunisia at the World Cup, had to come from a goal down after former Fulham man Bryan Ruiz opened the scoring with a strike from distance with 24 minutes gone.
However, strikes from Dries Mertens and Michy Batshuayi along with a Romelu Lukaku brace ensured Roberto Martinez's men travel to Russia on the back of a confidence-boosting win.
TALKING POINT
Is Eden Hazard injured? He limped off midway through the second half after being the recipient of a very strong challenge - will he recover in time for the World Cup?
MAN OF THE MATCH
Romelu Lukaku (Belgium). He worked very hard all evening, and despite getting caught offside too much in the first half, he continued to press for his 35th and 36th international goals - and unselfishly squared the ball for Batshuayi rather than having a go for his hat-trick.
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Costa Rica's defender Cristian Gamboa (C) vies for the ball Belgium's forward Romelu Lukaku (R) during the international friendly football match between Belgium and Costa Rica at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on June 11, 2018.
Image credit: Getty Images
PLAYER RATINGS
Belgium: Courtois 5, Alderweireld 7, Boyata 7, Vertonghen 6, Meunier 6, Witsel 6, De Bruyne 8, Carrasco 7, E. Hazard (c) 8, Mertens 7, R. Lukaku 8. Subs: Mignolet, Casteels, Ciman, Dendoncker 7, Fellaini, Tielemans 6, Dembele 6, Chadli 6, Januzaj, T. Hazard 6, Batshuayi 7.
Costa Rica: Navas 7, Acosta 6, Gonzalez 6, Borges 6, Duarte 6, Bolanos 6, Oviedo 6, Ruiz (c) 7, Gamboa 6, Tejeda 6, Urena 6. Subs: Pemberton, Moreira, Smith 6, Colindres, Venegas 6, Campbell 6, Wallace, Azofeifa, Calvo, Waston, Guzman 6, Matarrita.
KEY MOMENTS
24 ' GOAL! Great strike from Bryan Ruiz, belting the ball from the edge of the area. Vertonghen was struggling with a high ball in, and Courtois can't get near the strike past his despairing left hand.
31' GOAL! Mertens can't miss that one, though - Hazard's effort from the edge of the box was skewing wide, and his team-mate is alert and pounces at the far post.
42' GOAL! An onside Lukaku converts a fantastic ball in from Mertens on the right. It's a fine finish too, hitting it exquisitely with his right foot.
50' GOAL! That's an absolutely magnificent header from Romelu Lukaku. He leaps at the near post and sends the ball right into the top corner.
64' GOAL! Ah, that's so unselfish from Romelu Lukaku, who could have had a dig for his hat-trick after Hazard plays him through, but squared it to Batshuayi instead - that's actually an excellent ball, carefully placed.
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Belgium's forward Eden Hazard reacts as he leaves the football pitch during the international friendly football match between Belgium and Costa Rica
Image credit: Eurosport
KEY STATS
- Belgium are now unbeaten in 19 matches, the second longest streak in world football behind Spain.
- Lukaku has now scored 36 international goals.
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