Belgium defeated a spirited Panama team to get their World Cup campaign up and running in the Fisht stadium. There were lots of tackles and yellow cards in the game with five of the yellow cards going to Panama. Such was the intensity of tackles from Panama that Eden Hazard had to limp out with a strap on his left calf. De Brunye, on the other hand, was deployed deep in the midfield and he could not therefore control the tempo higher up on the pitch.
However, soon after the interval, Panama could not retain their performance as the first half of the match. After a failed clearance from Panama’s defense, the ball dropped to Mertens who volleyed quite superbly to beat Panama goalkeeper Jaime Penedo to score the first goal.
Soon afterwards, Belgium forward Romelo Lukaku scored with a diving header to convert a cross from the outside of the boot of Kevin De Bruyne. Then Lukaku’s second goal came when he was passed a delightful through-ball to finish neatly with a chip over the rushing Panama goalkeeper.
The second goal from Lukaku sealed a three-goal win and a perfect start to the World Cup campaign for Belgium.
