Belgium is winning quietly against Panama (3-0) for its entry into the competition. Dries Mertens and Romelu Lukaku, who scored a double, scored the Red Devils.
Much awaited for its entry into the competition in Russia, Belgium was soon to report on a first outflow of Yannick Carrasco (1st). Panama went up against each other in the aftermath, by Edgar Barcenas, but he gave nothing (2nd). Well served at the end of a nice collective movement, Carrasco, still him, was bumping into the Panamanian goalkeeper Jaime Penedo (5′). The Red Devils kept pushing to force the decision. Dries Mertens, well shifted by Eden Hazard, struck but Penedo was still at the parade (6th). Hazard, again, did not take advantage of a very badly assured pass from captain Roman Torres to his keeper (10′). The Belgian n ° 10 then played a corner quickly to serve Mertens in the surface, but the Neapolitan hit did not hang the frame (19′). On a centerline with Kevin de Bruyne, Torres missed his intervention in front of Romelu Lukaku but, fortunately for his team, the ball was spinning in corner (21′).
De Bruyne, on a back pass from Eden Hazard, hit above (22′). Moments later, Chelsea’s star chose the individual solution, armed a shot but could not find the frame (26′). This was followed by a period of floating, during which Panama was ambitious and generous on the other side after a long period of round-backs. The men of Roberto Martinez were returning from the most beautiful. Hazard, one of the most enterprising Belgians, shot through the full-axis defense and hit hard, but Penedo, again, was decisive (38′). In the process, the doorman of Steaua Bucharest was quick and ahead of a Lukaku launched in depth by Mertens (39′). The pocket forward did not fit his volley on a free-kick cleverly played by Hazard (41′). Armando Cooper tried his luck for Panama but the leather flew into the sky of Sochi (42′). The Score at the break (0-0).
Dries Mertens blows the lock, The Double of Romelu Lukaku
On the way back from the dressing rooms, on a misdirection of the opposing defence, Mertens, who did not win in the first period, sent a perfect volley to the bottom of the Panamanian nets, leaving Penedo without a reaction (1-0, 47′). De Bruyne fired a free-kick just next to the Panamanian cages (52′). Thibaut Courtois made a saving exit in front of Michael Murillo, alone after a superb opening in the back of his defense (54′). A golden opportunity. Moments later, Gabriel Torres took advantage of a misalignment of the Belgian defense to pass a new thrill in the Defense of the flat country (56′). The debates were balanced, with the organizations suffering on both sides. The Belgians dominated the debates in a sterile way and we had to wait to see the first Frank situations. On a balloon cleared of the fist by Penedo, Hazard picked up the balloon and served as Bruyne in retreat.
The Manchester City leader focused from the outside for Lukaku, who doubled the setting of a diving head (2-0, 68′). Manchester United’s goalscorer would Double there a few moments later. Well launched by chance, the former Anderlecht perfectly stung his ball over Penedo (3-0, 74′). His 38th goal in 70 caps. In front of the 44,000 spectators present, Panama tried a reaction of pride, but Luis Tejada was too short on a good center of Ismael Diaz to the second post (79′). Courteous reassured his defense, clearly feverish for much of the game, by capturing a powerful free-kick from Fidel Escobar at the end of the game (89′). Belgium, though not necessarily brilliant, won against a valiant Panama and took the lead in group G.