Belgium jump to third in Group B as the Red Devils ran riot against Cyprus. The Belgians led 2-0 at half-time, before 3 goals in the second half rounded off a perfect win for the EURO 2016 dreamers.
Belgium surprisingly started the game quicker than their usual slow, accurate build up. The Red Devils came out flying as the midfield 5 gave the Cypriot defence trouble from early on, Belgium’s first effort on goal came when the Alderweireld whipped in a cross to Alex Witsel inside the box, but Laifis did well to header the ball away from danger, and out for a corner. De Bruyne somehow missed the goal when Hazard slipped in his former teammate, into the penalty box, beating the offside trap, but the inform playmaker’s shot was well saved by Kissas in the 12th minute.
There was an injury crisis for Cyprus when Antoniades and Laban, collided heads with each other, but after some time on the ground for the two Cypriot players, they got up, and resumed playing. Belgium finally took the lead when Fellaini broke the deadlock for the hosts, after a mix-up in the penalty box found the feat of the Manchester United midfielder, Fellaini turned his man, and placed the ball past Kissas, through a crowded penalty area, to give Belgium the lead after 20 minutes. Hazard could had made it 2-0 to Belgium when the Chelsea winger did a neat one-two with Witsel, but the 23-year-old’s shot was met by a great save by Kissas again.
Hazard almost turned provided when Hazard beautifully controlled the ball on the right-wing, and played then ball across to Benteke, but his shot flew straight into the arms of the Cypriot keeper, however moments later, the striker got it right when Hazard whipped the ball into the box, and the Aston Villa striker, headed the ball past Kissas, to give the hosts a 2-0 lead in the 35th minute. Witsel should had made it 3 for the hosts in the 43rd minute, but his header from close range was incredibly saved by Kissas, and Witsel couldn’t turn in the rebound.
The second half started more slower than the previous half. Belgium’s first chance of the final half came in the 62nd minute when Hazard again found Benteke in the box, but the striker’s shot was fired straight into the palms of Kissas. However moments later, Fellaini bagged his second goal of the game, the big Belgian picked up the ball on the edge of the penalty box, and the Manchester United midfielder, curled the ball past Kissas with a sweet left-footed strike in the 64th minute.
The Red Devils didn’t stop there when seconds after the restart, Eden Hazard, made it 4 for Belgium. The winger played a good one-two with Alex Witsel on the edge of the box, the Chelsea player then shimmied his way past two Cyprus defenders beautifully, and his curling effort, smacked off the bar, and into the net, to secure the win for Belgium. Batshuayi made it 5-0 to the hosts when Michy Batshuayi, scored with his first touch of his international career. The Marseille striker was played though on goal by De Bruyne, and the 21-year-old striker, placed the ball into the corner of the net, past the preach of Kissas, to make it 5-0 to Belgium.