New Zealand vs Belgium: Belgium Thrash New Zealand 5-1 to Win Group G on Goal Difference

Leandro Trossard scored twice and Romelu Lukaku became Belgium’s all-time World Cup top scorer with six goals as the Red Devils thrashed New Zealand 5-1 to win Group G.

Belgium thrashed New Zealand 5-1 at BC Place Vancouver on Friday, securing the top spot in Group G on goal difference with an offensive explosion that eliminated the All Whites from the tournament.

Leandro Trossard broke the deadlock in the 28th minute, nudging the ball home from close range after New Zealand failed to clear an in-swinging corner. He doubled the advantage early in the second half, lashing home a rebound after his initial effort was blocked.

Kevin De Bruyne swept a sweet low strike from outside the area into the net in the 66th minute. At 34 years and 363 days, he became the oldest World Cup goalscorer in Belgian history. New Zealand pulled one back in the 84th minute when Elijah Just scored a fine consolation goal, making it his third strike of the tournament.

Substitute Romelu Lukaku scored with his very first touch of the match, powering home a header to become Belgium’s all-time top World Cup scorer with six goals. Alexis Saelemaekers put the exclamation point on the performance by driving a low shot into the corner deep in stoppage time.

Belgium dominated possession with 55 percent and registered 33 shots, 10 on target, while New Zealand managed six shots, two on target. The match featured 41 total shots, ranking as the highest shot volume of any single match in the 2026 World Cup group stage.

According to a report by Accra Street Journal, the dramatic scoreline allowed Belgium to edge past Egypt on goal difference to win Group G. Belgium will travel to Seattle on July 1 to play a third-placed wildcard team from Group A, E, H, I, or J.

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Venue and Kickoff Time

• • Stadium: BC Place Vancouver Stadium (Vancouver, Canada)
  • Kickoff: 03:00 GMT

⚽ Pre-Match Analysis

📋 Predicted Lineups

• • New Zealand Starting XI: Crocombe; Bindon, Pijnaker, Boxall, Cacace; Garbett, Stamenic; McCowatt, Singh, Just; C. Wood.
  • Belgium Starting XI: Casteels; Castagne, Faes, Vertonghen, Theate; Onana, Tielemans; Bakayoko, De Bruyne, Doku; Lukaku.

📊 Match Facts and Head-to-Head (H2H)

• • H2H Record: This is the first competitive senior tournament match between New Zealand and Belgium.
  • Key Fact: Belgium hasn’t lost a group stage match across their last two major international tournament appearances.

Source: Accra Street Journal 

Last Updated on June 27, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu

Samuel Kwame Boadu

Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.

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