Belgium 9 Gibraltar 0
Belgium 9 Gibraltar 0, Maurice Dufrasne Stadium, FIFA World Cup Qualifier Match, August 17, 2017. Manchester United´s Romelu Lukaku registered a hat-trick as Belgium demolished the minnows of Gibraltar by 9-0 at Maurice Dufrasne Stadium in Liege. The Belgians were 6-0 up at the interval and the home team added three more goals in the second half.
Napoli forward Dries Mertens recorded the opening goal for Belgium in the 15th minute of action after a mistake from Gibraltar goalkeeper Deren Ibrahim, while Paris Saint-Germain defender Thomas Meunier added a second three minutes later. The Belgians now smelled blood and Romelu Lukaku made it 3-0 to the hosts when the Manchester United striker headed home in the 21st minute before Borussia Dortmund´s Axel Witsel netted with an astonishing bicycle-kick on 27 minutes. Belgium kept up the pressure and Lukaku put The Red Devils five goals ahead as he converted a low cross from Meunier after 38 minutes of play, and then Chelsea winger Eden Hazard scored a sixth goal for the red shirts with a close range effort in the last minute of the first half. Following the restart, Thomas Meunier found the net in the 60th and 67th minutes before Lukaku hit the final goal of the day from the penalty spot on 84 minutes after Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne had been fouled inside the area by Gibraltar United´s Erin Barnett who was rightfully red carded by Irish match official Neil Doyle. Belgium Team: Thibaut Courtois, Toby Alderweireld, Thomas Meunier, Vincent Kompany, Jan Vertonghen, Yannick Carrasco, Eden Hazard, Axel Witsel, Romelu Lukaku, Kevin de Bruyne, Dries Mertens. Substitutes: Koen Casteels, Simon Mignolet, Laurent Ciman, Jordan Lukaku, Steven Defour, Moussa Dembele, Thomas Vermaelen, Leander Dendoncker, Thorgan Hazard, Youri Tielemans, Christian Benteke, Michy Batshuayi. Gibraltar Team: Deren Ibrahim, Ryan Casciaro, Joseph Chipolina, Roy Chipolina, Erin Barnett, Jean-Carlos Garcia, Jayce Mascarenhas-Olivero, Jamie Bosio, Liam Walker, Lee Casciaro, Anthony Hernandez. Substitutes: Kyle Goldwin, Jamie Robba, Alain Pons, Jason Pusey, Anthony Bardon, Robert Guilling, Paul Podesta, Sykes Garro, Evan Green, Jamie Coombes, John-Paul Duarte, Mikey Yome.
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