New Delhi: Belgium survived a major scare against Wales, eventually clinching a 4-3 victory in Brussels to kickstart their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. Kevin De Bruyne’s late goal in the 88th minute spared Belgium’s blushes after they let a commanding 3-0 lead slip.
Kevin de Bruyne helped Belgium survive a major scare against Wales, eventually clinching a 4-3 victory in Brussels to kickstart their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. Belgium looked unstoppable in the opening 30 minutes as Romelu Lukaku put the home side ahead from the penalty spot, securing his 89th international goal after Kevin De Bruyne’s shot hit Brennan Johnson’s arm.
De Bruyne steps up for Belgium 🇧🇪 in a 7-goal thriller 🥵 pic.twitter.com/njKRHJyI7y
— 433 (@433) June 9, 2025
Minutes later, Youri Tielemans rounded off a slick team move, turning in Maxime De Cuyper’s low cross. Jeremy Doku then added another stunning solo goal to put Belgium 3-0 up before the half-time mark.
When the match seemed out of reach, Wales mounted an incredible comeback. Harry Wilson converted a penalty just before half-time after Matz Sels was penalised for a foul on Chris Mepham. Wales manager Craig Bellamy’s men carried their momentum into the second half. Wilson found Sorba Thomas, who slotted home to make it 3-2. Then Brennan Johnson’s header drew Wales level with 20 minutes left, sending the away fans into a frenzy.
Belgium thought they had restored their lead when Lukaku found the net late on but the goal was ruled out after a lengthy VAR review determined the ball had crossed the touchline in the build-up. Just when it looked like Wales had done enough to secure a memorable draw, Tielemans delivered a perfect cross to De Bruyne, who steered the ball into the bottom corner to seal the win.
KEVIN DE BRUYNE WINS IT IN THE 88TH MINUTE FOR BELGIUM! 🇧🇪👑pic.twitter.com/990Fx3Sz4t
— Tekkers Foot (@tekkersfoot) June 9, 2025
It was a bitter pill for Bellamy as he suffered his first defeat as Wales manager. His team had come so close to matching the national record of 10 games unbeaten but were left to rue what might have been. Still, Bellamy could take heart from his team’s resilience and fighting spirit against one of Europe’s top sides.
What’s next for Belgium?
Belgium’s win means they sit third in Group J, three points behind Wales but with two games in hand. With plenty of time left in the qualifiers, Rudi Garcia’s side will look to build on this result and secure a place at the World Cup.
For Wales, the focus will be on continuing to push for second place and a potential play-off spot. They showed against Belgium that they can compete with the best, and they will hope to carry that belief into the rest of the qualifying campaign.
Belgium wins 4-3 over Wales in a thrilling World Cup qualifier, overcoming a three-goal lead loss with Kevin De Bruyne’s late strike. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
