Belgium (National Football)

Belgium manager Roberto Martinez has said he "understands" recent criticism received from Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne. 

After the 3-3 draw with Mexico in an international friendly on Friday, De Bruyne questioned the tactics used by the team.

When asked about the situation in a press conference on Monday, Martinez said the City man had done nothing wrong and was adamant there's no tension between the pair.

"What De Bruyne had to say wasn't a personal attack," he said, per La Derniere Heure (h/t Tom Coast of Sport Witness). "Every player has an opinion. He's an honest person, he isn't being disrespectful. What he said isn't going to force me to change things all of a sudden, but his frustration is understandable since he is a winner. We all want players with that mentality."

Below is a reminder of what the midfielder said after the match against Mexico, per Goal:

It doesn’t sound like Kevin De Bruyne is too happy with Roberto Martinez’s tactics 👀 pic.twitter.com/AxJhPACKOC

— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 13, 2017

Belgium were open in defence, twice surrendering a lead, before falling behind and eventually grabbing an equaliser.

Although the game was only a friendly, it was the type of performance that will trigger some doubts about whether the Red Devils are capable of going all the way at the FIFA World Cup in Russia next year. And there was a degree of naivety about the manner in which Martinez set the team up.

Frequently the three-man defence was left exposed by Mexico stars Hirving Lozano and Carlos Vela, while in midfield Belgium struggled to get much of a grip on the contest.

While Martinez may insist the words from De Bruyne are not a jibe towards him, Bleacher Report's Gianni Verschueren doesn't believe they can be interpreted any other way:

https://twitter.com/ReverschPass/status/929699254251216897

In fairness to the Belgium boss, the team was without defensive stalwarts Vincent Kompany and Toby Alderweireld against Mexico. Additionally, the Red Devils were impressive in securing their qualification for the World Cup, winning nine games and drawing the other in Group H.

De Bruyne was withdrawn from the match at half-time having struggled to have his usual impact on the contest.

Under Pep Guardiola at City this season, the 26-year-old has been in sensational form, starring at the heart of the side. De Bruyne's close control, in-game intelligence and stunning passing range has seen him earn a reputation among many as the finest footballer in the Premier League.

Belgium are next in action on Tuesday in a friendly against Japan. It will be fascinating to see what approach they take after what has been said as of late.

Belgium and Mexico continue their preparations for the FIFA 2018 World Cup finals with a friendly in Brussels on Friday night.

The hosts made light work of qualification, topping Group H by nine points from Greece after securing nine wins from 10 games with 43 goals scored along the way.

Mexico booked their spot in next summer's finals in Russia by finishing top of the CONCACAF table with 21 points from 10 games.

Here is how you can watch the international friendly:

              

Date: Friday, November 10

Time: 7:45 p.m. GMT/2:45 p.m. ET

Venue: King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels

Live Stream: fuboTV (U.S.)

TV Info: Univision Deportes (U.S.)

              

Preview

Belgium have a star-studded squad packed with players in top form, such as Kevin De Bruyne, Dries Mertens and Eden Hazard. 

However, Roberto Martinez will be without Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld due to a hamstring injury, per Jeremy Wilson at the Telegraph:

The full squad is provided by Belgium's official Twitter account:

📝 Our squad list for Mexico (10/11) & Japan (14/11) ! #BELMEX #BELJAP #RoadtoRussia pic.twitter.com/jlq98O4tB8

— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) November 3, 2017

The strength in depth of Belgium's squad, coupled with their impressive qualifying campaign, means they will be one of the favourites going into the tournament next year.

In De Bruyne they also have the best player in the Premier League this season, according to ESPN FC's Jonathan Smith:

Had the pleasure of speaking to the best player in the Premier League (at least) Kevin de Bruyne... https://t.co/2YtmCMQLSJ

— Jonathan Smith (@jonnysmiffy) October 19, 2017

Meanwhile, Opta highlighted how effective Mertens has been for Napoli this season:

16 - Dries Mertens has been directly involved in 16 goals in 17 games for Napoli this season in all comps (12 goals, 4 assists). Flick. pic.twitter.com/G5GXVsmHZU

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 1, 2017

Mexico should provide tough opposition, and their squad is provided by ESPN FC's Tom Marshall:

The Mexico squad to face Belgium and Poland.

Thoughts?

Via (@miseleccionmx) pic.twitter.com/Ne4vQRgRC3

— Tom Marshall (@mexicoworldcup) November 3, 2017

The visitors will likely look to hit Belgium on the counter, and with Javier Hernandez expected to feature in attack they will provide a threat.

However, El Tri do have other dangerous players, notably Carlos Vela and Giovani dos Santos, although youngster Hirving Lozano is also pushing for a place.

Opta showed just how impressive he has been in the Eredivisie already this season with PSV Eindhoven:

7 - @HirvingLozano70 is the first player in history to score in 7 of his first 8 Eredivisie games. Sensation. pic.twitter.com/j6UNaBUiYs

— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) October 29, 2017

As such, there may well be goals in this game, but with home advantage and a strong squad, Belgium will be favourites to continue their winning streak on Friday.

Belgium defeated Cyprus in their final match of FIFA World Cup qualifying, as the UEFA Group H winners prevailed 4-0 on Tuesday.

Eden Hazard opened the scoring with a curling effort after 12 minutes, but the visitors kept the score to a single goal in the first half as Belgium pushed forward.

Thorgan Hazard doubled the lead shortly after half-time, tapping home from close range for his first international goal.

Eden Hazard doubled his haul from the penalty spot to cap a fine night for the Belgians, with Romelu Lukaku rising from the bench to add a superb fourth.

Belgium made it nine wins out of 10 qualifying matches, and will be one of the World Cup favourites in Russia next summer.

The Red Devils provided their starting XI:

Line-up ! 🇧🇪🆚🇨🇾#BELCYP #RoadtoRussia pic.twitter.com/pOXTK8sadL

— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) October 10, 2017

Vincent Laban supported Pieros Sotiriou in attack for Cyprus, but as expected, they struggled to create.

There was a celebratory feeling in the King Baudouin Stadium as Belgium took to the field, with no tangible pressure on their players.

It didn't take the home side long to break the deadlock as Eden Hazard collected the ball in midfield. The Chelsea attacker sweetly struck his effort into the bottom corner from the edge of the box, sparking jubilant scenes.

Thorgan Hazard soon went close to emulating his brother's strike, but goalkeeper Constantinos Panagi was equal to the task.

Cyprus did a good job of limiting the Belgian attack, and with Lukaku left on the bench, the home side lacked their usual bite.

The visitors held on until half-time, but it took Belgium just seven minutes to score after the restart.

Michy Batshuayi tormented the Cypriot defence, shooting from range, only to see Panagi parry his effort. The ball fell at the feet of Thorgan Hazard, who tapped home to open his account for his country.

It was 3-0 shortly after the hour mark as Eden Hazard grabbed his brace from the penalty spot. Giorgos Merkis was adjudged to have handled the ball, and the Chelsea superstar stepped up to slot his effort home with grace.

Cyprus were beaten after the hour mark, and Belgium brought on Lukaku from the bench.

The Manchester United striker took no time to get into the match, and he found the back of the net with 12 minutes remaining.

Lukaku latched on to a simple long ball from Axel Witsel, and he clinically finished as he burst into the penalty area.

Belgian journalist Kristof Terreur noted the score as he highlighted the key points of the night:

FT: Belgium - Cyprus 4-0.

✅Vertonghen is now Belgium’s most capped player with 97 caps
✅The Hazard brothers worked it out: Eden (2⚽️), Thorgan (1⚽️)
✅Lukaku came on, scored and is fully fit
✅De Bruyne came on, no injury
✅43 goals in 10 games#cfc #thfc #mufc #mcfc pic.twitter.com/srPSglOMa6

— Kristof Terreur (@kristofterreur) October 10, 2017

Lukaku could have scored a hat-trick in the closing stages as he pummelled the Cypriots with pace and power, but the striker failed to find the net again.

Belgium are one of the best teams on the planet, and with an axis of Lukaku and Eden Hazard, the side will go far when the World Cup finals begin next summer.

Their line-up is the envy of nations across the world, and their star players make up the bulk of any good Fantasy Premier League side, but are Belgium going to live up to expectations next summer?

Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard are a trio that strike terror into any defence, but the Red Devils are made up of key players in almost every other position and cruised through qualifying to book their place at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

By banging in 39 goals during the European qualifiers, averaging four goals per game, they have made a statement.

But there are still questions about whether this golden generation will click when it matters.

BREAKING: Belgium become the first European team to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia 🙌 pic.twitter.com/lXywZqpDb4

— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 3, 2017

If you are looking for a man to set the tone of a campaign, then Lukaku seems like the perfect starting point. He’s Belgium’s lead striker, the focal point of Manchester United, and a man born to score goals.

Lukaku has found the net 10 times during qualifying. He has twice as many goals as anyone else in the squad going into Tuesday night’s game with Cyprus.

But will boss Roberto Martinez get the £90 million forward at his best in Russia?

Before getting carried away by his 10-goal haul in qualifying it is worth considering that two came against Greece, three at home to Gibraltar, two vs. Cyprus, one against Bosnia, two late goals in an 8-1 drubbing of Estonia … not all exactly elite opposition.

And on a deeper level, there have been long-running questions about whether Roberto Martinez knows how to get the best from one of the world’s best forwards.

Michael De Asha is a writer for Everton Aren’t We and recalls their days together at Goodison Park.

"Throughout the time Roberto Martinez was at Everton, Lukaku was the one man who obviously stood out as the top player. For much of this time, it always seemed that Lukaku performed in spite of Martinez.

"The team were very rarely set up to play to his strengths, often looking to make intricate passes rather than simply playing the ball in behind for Lukaku to run onto, the clearest strength in his game.”

Patrick Boyland, freelance writer and director of Everton podcast The Blue Room, told me of similar memories—and fears Martinez has not changed his ways.

"Stylistic issues still plague Martinez," he said. "He's a predominantly dogmatic coach that doesn't always change to get the best out of those available to him.

"Yet in Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard, Lukaku will, of course, have two of the best playmakers in the competition to partially negate any tactical flaws. If games become stretched, the trio could be devastating.

"A tally of 27 goals in 62 international games certainly isn't to be sniffed at, but there is still clearly room for improvement as—particularly in the major competitions—he has largely flattered to deceive."

This is a regular issue that crops up when speaking with people about Lukaku. People agree he knows how to score a goal, but is he a player for the big occasion? And could Martinez hold him back? The next nine months will tell us the full story about his capabilities.

These are times when Belgium should be buzzing with anticipation about what their golden generation can achieve. But so many are not yet convinced they are the finished article.

Belgian fan Laura told me: "I am still sceptical. We are not bad in qualifying, but it was the same the last two times for us. Sure this team has great players—they prove it every week in all the big leagues across Europe. But I am not sure we have a team. We lack something to light the flame. A great coach could help for that and I am not sure Martinez is the right one for it.”

The questions about Martinez are brought up by almost everyone I speak to. A couple of sources even declared how it is an open secret in Belgium that he will leave after the World Cup.

There is still huge reason for optimism, though—because the individual stars on show in this side are capable of brilliance. And that’s where our focus should be. Barely any nation in the world can boast an armoury of top names quite like Belgium can.

Without doubt Dries Mertens has the potential to lift the team to another level if he replicates club form from Napoli. And when you look beyond the tier-one players, you realise there are men like Paris Saint-Germain’s Thomas Meunier, Youri Tielemans of Monaco and Atletico Madrid’s Yannick Carrasco who barely get a mention.

"Meunier is a good shout for a secret weapon,” Bleacher Report’s Belgian expert Gianni Verschueren told me. "And Martinez is trying to integrate Tielemans into the team slowly—I think he wants him to play a significant role by next summer. Carrasco will also play a massive role on the opposite flank of Meunier. He's not used to defending at club level but was immense against Bosnia."

Still, you suspect those will not be tournament-defining players for Belgium. It is no surprise that with any Belgian football expert or supporter, the discussion always heads towards Chelsea's Hazard and Manchester City's De Bruyne.

https://twitter.com/City_Watch/status/916627932428292097

 

Hazard had to sit out the start of this season with injury, but by the time the World Cup comes around, he could be in his best form. The recent Champions League outing against Atletico Madrid showed glimpses of his magic already returning.

"If you are trying to figure out who in the team is most important, it is a toss-up between Hazard and De Bruyne," Verschueren told me. "De Bruyne has grown into the role of leader after a shaky start with the national team, and I'd go with him as the most important toward overall success. Belgium has historically been a blue-collar team, and that mentality remains with a lot of players—Hazard has always been the main creative outlet who can open up matches with a moment of brilliance.

"De Bruyne sits deeper under Martinez —almost as a traditional central midfield player—and Hazard is the main creative force further up the pitch. Taken the role quite well, and been consistently good since he got the captain's armband. Struggled with the national team for years, but that's a thing of the past."

It is interesting that although Lukaku is the main goal threat for Belgium, he’s not seen as the most important figure for success.

In De Bruyne, Belgium have one of the most complete midfield players in the world. Under Pep Guardiola, his all-round game has improved, particularly this term, when Guardiola has often used him in a deeper role.

European football expert Andy Brassell seems convinced De Bruyne will be the man to shape their campaign in Russia.

"The main strength of the Belgian group, which is the versatility and pace at their disposal, can be personified in one man: Kevin De Bruyne," he said. "He has both in abundance, and that he has the keys to the attacking segment of the team is vital. His performance in Bosnia underlined that he can adapt to the most unpromising of conditions.”

De Bruyne, already a household name across the globe, is the man to turn Belgium from pretenders to World Cup contenders.

Group H winners Belgium complete their FIFA 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign on Tuesday, with a visit from Cyprus who have already seen their dreams of reaching Russia ended.

Roberto Martinez's side are yet to taste defeat and will expect to maintain their unbeaten record against a side they beat 3-0 in Nicosia in September of last year.

Read on for a preview of Tuesday's match, complete with live-stream information.

     

Date: Tuesday, October 10

Time: 7:45 p.m. BST/2:45 p.m ET

Venue: Heysel Stadium, Brussels

Live Stream: Sky Go (UK), Fox Soccer Match Pass (U.S.)

      

Preview

With qualification assured, Martinez could utilise his squad to avoid further injuries and rest some players.

Belgium have already lost midfielder Marouane Fellaini to injury after he featured in the weekend win over Bosnia-Herzegovina but was forced off with a knee problem.

The national team's official Twitter account confirmed he will now miss several weeks:

⚽ @Fellaini is out for a couple of weeks & #BELCYP. Scan ➡ left knee injury (MCL sprain). Get well soon Marouane ! #RoadtoRussia pic.twitter.com/jozfljXOCl

— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) October 8, 2017

Football writer Liam Canning said Manchester United will not be happy with Fellaini's injury:

Looking forward to José Mourinho going ballistic at Belgium for playing an injured Marouane Fellaini. Rightly so.

— Liam Canning (@LiamPaulCanning) October 8, 2017

Martinez could hand Romelu Lukaku a return after he missed out last time due to an ankle injury.

However, the Manchester United man is now "100 per cent fit" according to Martinez, per Rory O'Callaghan at Sky Sports.

With nothing riding on the game, Martinez may decide against potentially antagonising Manchester United further by playing Lukaku, which could mean another chance for Michy Batshuayi.

The Chelsea forward made his first competitive start against Bosnia-Herzegovina but still has a fine record at international level, as noted by journalist Kristof Terreur:

Michy Batshuayi will get his 1st start in a qualifier for Belgium today. Only started in a friendlies so far. His 🇧🇪 stats:

✅ 11 caps
⏱ 299 mins
⚽️ 4 goals
🔥 1⚽️ every 75 mins#cfc #keeponflying pic.twitter.com/Nb7K8My7jo

— Kristof Terreur (@kristofterreur) October 7, 2017

Belgium have a wealth of attacking options with Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, Dries Mertens and Yannick Carrasco in the squad, and goals are not a problem for the side, as noted by Squawka:

Belgium are unbeaten in World Cup qualification matches since 2009:

WDWWWWWWWDWWWWDWWWW

Goals: 57
Conceded: 10 pic.twitter.com/dDgDwBH6ZT

— Squawka (@Squawka) October 7, 2017

However, Belgium conceded two against Bosnia-Herzegovina, and defensively there are issues, according to journalist John Chapman:

Final score - Bosnia 3 Belgium 4. Good result all things considered but defensive concerns continue to exist for Belgium.

— John Chapman (@BelgoFoot) October 7, 2017

Cyprus's record in qualifying suggest they may be unable to test the Belgium defence. 

Ran Ben Shimon's have managed just nine goals in nine games and have lost their last two games against Greece and Estonia.

Even without Lukaku and Fellaini, Belgium's squad has good depth, and the attacking quality on offer should be too much for a Cyprus team on a poor run and offering little going forward.

Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini suffered a knee injury during Belgium's 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Saturday.

The former Everton man appeared to fall victim to dreadful pitch conditions. Per Kristof Terreur of HLN, the knock was to his left knee.

News of the injury will not sit well with United fans, as Fellaini missed training earlier in the week with a knock he was already carrying. Belgium have already qualified for the World Cup, adding further insult to injury.

Under manager Jose Mourinho, Fellaini is easily playing the best football of his career at Old Trafford. The bruising midfielder plays a crucial role ahead of the defence, breaking up attacks and disrupting opponents as much as possible.

United's first match after the international break will be the rivalry game against Liverpool. It remains to be seen whether Fellaini will be fit to feature in that clash.

Belgium battled to a 2-1 win in Athens against Greece on Sunday, booking their spot in the 2018 FIFA World Cup along the way.

BREAKING: Belgium become the first European team to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia 🙌 pic.twitter.com/lXywZqpDb4

— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 3, 2017

The Greeks frustrated Belgium throughout the first half, barely giving up any space. Things hardly improved after the break, until Jan Vertonghen blasted a great shot from distance with 20 minutes left to play.

Zeca pulled his side level minutes later, but Romelu Lukaku restored the advantage with a great header.

Here's a look at the teamsheet, via Bart Lagae of Het Nieuwsblad:

Deze 11 moeten ons naar #Rusland2018 brengen. #GRIBEL @sportwereld_be pic.twitter.com/mX7zkeiKf9

— Bart Lagae (@BartLagae) September 3, 2017

Greece―who gave the Belgians all they could handle in the first match in Brussels―started with plenty of intensity, pressing high and forcing their opponents into tons of mistakes. Striker Anastasios Donisgave Thomas Vermaelen all kinds of problems with his speed and fired the first chance of the match at Thibaut Courtois.

The Chelsea stopper made a fantastic save to deny Konstantinos Stafylidis, who surprised everyone with an early shot from a tricky angle. Courtois got a hand on it, doing just enough to push the ball onto the post.

The team's official Twitter account shared this photo of the spectacular save:

🐬 @ThibautCourtois, like a dolphin 😀👐🔙 #Thibauting 😉 #GREBEL #RoadtoRussia #WCQ pic.twitter.com/iQdNgQrLSI

— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) September 3, 2017

On the other side of the pitch, Jan Vertonghen tried his luck with an ambitious shot, but Orestis Karnezis was barely troubled. Greece frustrated the Belgians for the full half, and the Red Devils never really threatened.

The final chance of the first half fell to Konstantinos Fortounis, but Courtois read the situation well and got a hand on the ball.

Things didn't improve at the start of the second half, and Thomas Meunier was booked after just four minutes for a late charge into Donis. Greece held the upper hand, and Yannick Carrasco had to move fast to stop Zeca.

Meunier almost connected with a good cross from Toby Alderweireld just before the hour mark, and the Red Devils started to control the ball more and prod deep into the Greek half. The Devils' account noted there were a lot of tough duels going on:

66' Quite a physical game at the moment ! #GREBEL #RoadtoRussia #WCQ

— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) September 3, 2017

Belgium kept pushing and finally found the breakthrough after 70 minutes, courtesy of a fantastic strike from distance from Vertonghen. 

But the Greeks did not let up and found an equaliser almost immediately, as Carrasco lost his man and Zeca easily pushed home a cross. 

All of a sudden, the match exploded. Lukaku powered home a cross from Meunier less than two minutes after the equaliser, continuing his great run, per Kristof Terreur of HLN:

Romelu Lukaku for 🇧🇪 since '16:
20 caps, 17⚽️.
🇵🇹⚽️
🇨🇭⚽️
🇫🇮⚽️
🇳🇴⚽️⚽️
🇮🇹
🇮🇪⚽️⚽️
🇸🇪
🇭🇺
🐳
🇪🇸
🇨🇾⚽️⚽️
🇧🇦⚽️
🇳🇱
🇪🇪⚽️⚽️
🇬🇷⚽️
🇷🇺
🇨🇿
🇪🇪
🇬🇮⚽️⚽️⚽️
🇬🇷⚽️ pic.twitter.com/BcZsREm3pd

— Kristof Terreur (@kristofterreur) September 3, 2017

And one minute later, there were handbags after a charge from Carrasco into his marker, with the Greeks hounding the official. The Atletico Madrid man was given a yellow card, but the home fans were not satisfied.

Greece were powerless to mount a late offensive, and the best chances fell to Belgium, with Lukaku and Dries Mertens missing good looks. It hardly mattered, as the Red Devils easily defended their lead.

Belgium can secure their place at FIFA World Cup 2018 with victory over Greece on Sunday, September 3, at the Stadio Georgios Karaiskakis in Athens.

Roberto Martinez’s men are currently six points clear at the top of Group H with three games left to play and are yet to lose a game so far in their World Cup qualifying campaign.

In fact, Belgium have only dropped points once so far in the group, against Sunday’s opponents in a 1-1 draw in Brussels back in March.

It could have been worse for the hosts too, Belgium needing an 89th-minute equaliser from Romelu Lukaku to rescue a point in a frantic finish with Greece ending the game with nine men.

     

Date: Sunday, September 3

Time: 7:45 p.m. BST/2:45 p.m. ET

Venue: Stadio Georgios Karaiskakis, Athens, Greece

TV Info: Sky Sports Football (UK), ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN, ESPN3 (U.S.)

       

Preview

Belgium go into Sunday’s game fresh from a 9-0 demolition of Gibraltar. The game was also notable for the return from injury of Chelsea star Eden Hazard who started the match.

The Belgium was also on target, as he made his first appearance in more than three months, as noted by journalist Kristof Terreur:

Mbappé has signed, but Belgium captain Eden Hazard starts against 🇬🇮Gibraltar. His first official game since May 27th. #cfc 🇧🇪 pic.twitter.com/6Eh0AMoe2I

— Kristof Terreur (@kristofterreur) August 31, 2017

It remains to be seen whether Martinez will again choose to start Hazard, particularly after such a long time out, but the Chelsea star is hoping to play again, per Terreur:

Eden Hazard: "I'm happy that I'm back on the pitch. I feel good. I think I'm ready for Greece, but the coach will decide." #cfc pic.twitter.com/cUPU8od82c

— Kristof Terreur (@kristofterreur) August 31, 2017

Thomas Meunier was the star of the show against Gibraltar, directly involved in all of Belgium's best moments, as highlighted by Squawka:

Thomas Meunier has been directly involved in 7 of Belgium's 8 goals vs. Gibraltar tonight.

🅰️
⚽️
🅰️
❌
🅰️
🅰️
⚽️
⚽️

Time of his life. pic.twitter.com/630TQLWPMX

— Squawka (@Squawka) August 31, 2017

Lukaku also bagged a hat-trick, and his record in World Cup qualifying means he is the man Greece must surely stop if they are to have any chance of taking anything from the game, as Squawka illustrate:

Romelu Lukaku has scored more goals (8) than any other player in UEFA World Cup qualifying Group H.

Leading the way. 🇧🇪 pic.twitter.com/DAwm0q6iEF

— Squawka (@Squawka) August 31, 2017

Belgium also fielded Kevin De Bruyne, Dries Mertens and Yannick Carrasco against Gibraltar, and the firepower available to Martinez will surely even trouble a Greek side that has only conceded three goals in seven games.

Greece, meanwhile, go into the game in second place in the group but were held to a goalless draw in Estonia last time out.

That result was the third consecutive draw for the Greeks, who look strong defensively but have not managed to find the back of the net in their last two games.

Belgium have been almost perfect in qualifying so far and, with the end in sight, will be hoping they can wrap up matters in Athens.

However, Greece can be stubborn opponents, and while Martinez's men have great momentum after such a huge victory, it will be a far tighter game than their last outing.

Prediction: Greece 0-2 Belgium

Belgium defeated Gibraltar 9-0 in UEFA Group H of FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifying in Liege, as the Red Devils equalled their goalscoring record on Thursday.

The hosts were four goals up after just 27 minutes of play, as the visitors expectedly collapsed on their travels.

Dries Mertens opened the floodgates, and strikes from Thomas Meunier, Romelu Lukaku and Axel Witsel started the onslaught.

Witsel saw a straight red for a tackle on Jamie Bosio, but it didn't stop the Belgian machine from rolling on.

Lukaku and Eden Hazard made it 6-0 at the half-time whistle, and Gibraltar were clearly shellshocked and damaged.

Meunier struck twice after the interval to complete his hat-trick, making it 8-0, and Lukaku was presented his treble after Erin Barnett brought down Kevin De Bruyne in the box. 

Barnett was given a red for the challenge, and Lukaku slotted home with calm and ease.

Hazard returned for his first match after a summer of recovery, having previously suffered injury for Belgium that delayed his start to the Premier League season.

The hosts were quickly out of the traps as Gibraltar immediately suffered, and Mertens was credited with the goal as stopper Deren Ibrahim put the ball in his own net after just 15 minutes. The goal saw Belgium score three in six minutes, with Meunier and Lukaku finishing with aplomb.

Witsel followed up with a spectacular overhead kick after 27 minutes, with the ball rifling past the goalkeeper at pace.

Witsel's celebrations were cut short towards the end of the half as he was given his marching orders for his challenge on Bosio.

Lukaku grabbed his brace as Belgium reorganised, and Hazard added his name to the scoresheet on the stroke of half-time.

Squawka News highlighted a crazy first half:

Belgium 6-0 Gibraltar HT:

The Red Devils running riot.

⚽️ Mertens
⚽️ Meunier
⚽️ Lukaku
⚽️ Witsel
⚽️ Lukaku
🔴 Witsel
⚽️ Hazard pic.twitter.com/l0nc9kkAfl

— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) August 31, 2017

Gibraltar did not improve after the interval, and the hosts were immediately back on the accelerator. 

Meunier grabbed his second on the hour mark, and the marauding full-back collected a hat-trick with a beautiful finish at the far post seven minutes later to make it 8-0.

Gibraltar were collectively a rabbit in the headlights, as the Belgians danced and dazzled.

The night was capped off by Lukaku who tucked away his hat-trick from the penalty spot after De Bruyne was brought down in the area.

Bleacher Report's Gianni Verschueren commented as the full-time whistle blew:

https://twitter.com/ReverschPass/status/903355714743230464

The visitors showed they are nowhere near the level needed against top European nations, and the scoreline could have been much worse if Belgium had taken all of the chances they created.

Lukaku was lethal at No. 9, and the Manchester United striker is well on his way to becoming his country's all-time top scorer after a successful night.

Belgium will try to continue their march toward the 2018 FIFA World Cup on Thursday, as the Red Devils host lowly Gibraltar in Liege in Group H.

The two teams met in Gibraltar in October last year, when Belgium recorded a routine 6-0 win without getting out of second gear. The team backed that win up with an 8-1 demolition of Estonia in Brussels, showing just how dangerous they are on home soil.

With the all-important match in Greece on Sunday, the Red Devils are likely to rest a few players or substitute their key stars early, but don't expect any leniency for Gibraltar.

           

Date: Thursday, August 31

Time: 7:45 p.m. BST/2:45 p.m. ET

Venue: Stade Maurice Dufrasne (Sclessin), Liege

Live Stream: Fox Soccer Match Pass (U.S.)

            

Preview

Thursday's match shouldn't be much of a contest, as just about everyone assumes the Red Devils will crush Gibraltar, a tiny nation used to losing against Europe's best. Their record loss is currently by seven goals, and the Belgians could well try to better that mark. Their record win is by nine, and against Estonia, they already threatened that mark earlier his campaign.

For the Red Devils, the match will be little more than a tune-up for Sunday's clash with Greece, a huge match between the two top teams in Group H. Avoiding injuries and suspensions against Gibraltar will be a bigger concern than the final score.

Belgium need to perform well in these two contests, as not everything is perfect in the Belgian camp right now. The controversy surrounding Roma star Radja Nainggolan, who again wasn't called up, has cast manager Roberto Martinez into a bad light.

It didn't help that the midfielder put together a stunning performance against Inter Milan days after the decision to leave him out of the team. Eurosport's Siavoush Fallahi, an outspoken Inter-fan, was blown away by his showing:

This is the "out of form" Radja Nainggolan?

— Siavoush Fallahi (@SiavoushF) August 26, 2017

Sports writer Adam Digby also weighed in on the matter:

Everyone who watches Radja Nainggolan: "He could start for any team in the world"

Roberto Martinez: "Hold my beer"

— Adam Digby (@Adz77) August 26, 2017

Rather than call him up, Martinez went with Monaco's Youri Tielemans and Axel Witsel of Tianjin Quanjian. The former has been a bench player so far this season, and the latter has his detractors due to the fact he plays against relatively lowly competition in China.

Both will have something to prove against Gibraltar and Greece, and against the former in particular will have every opportunity to dive into the box and mix it up in front of goal.

Eden Hazard is yet to feature for Chelsea this Premier League season but was called up as the team's captain. He could see minutes against Gibraltar but is more likely to play the role of leader off the pitch, with enough attacking talent elsewhere to take care of business on it.

Prediction: Belgium 5-0 Gibraltar