Belgium 3-1 Wales: 5 talking points as Belgium secure come-from-behind win

#3 Kevin De Bruyne is back to his usual best for Belgium

Kevin De Bruyne celebrates after scoring a goal for Belgium.

Kevin De Bruyne took centre stage for Belgium in the absence of Eden Hazard. The Manchester City star orchestrated play for the hosts and set the tempo of the game.

De Bruyne was into his groove against Wales. He scored the equaliser for Belgium in the 22nd minute and created the most chances (4). He also won six duels, made five recoveries and successfully completed four dribbles.

#4 Wales lose Joe Allen to injury early on

Wales celebrate after scoring early against Belgium.

Despite going down after taking the lead early on, Wales put up a great fight against Belgium. However, the visitors lost the returning Joe Allen to an injury early on as the Stoke City midfielder seemed to have torn his hamstring.

It was his first international appearance in almost two years after coming back from a more serious injury (a tendon rupture). But he lasted only seven minutes on the field this time as Wales were forced into an early substitution against the Belgians.

#5 Belgium recover after a slow start

Belgium are serious contenders to go all the in the World Cup.

Belgium look like serious contenders to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup. They displayed elite mentality and pushed Wales back after going a goal down.

Roberto Martinez has transformed this side completely. Belgium were deadly on the breaks, quick with their transitions and exemplary in holding the ball. They ended the game playing like the world's number one team.

About the author

Samyak is a European and international football journalist at Sportskeeda, who focuses on writing a variety of listicles. A post-graduate in Finance with over 6 years of total work experience, Samyak became interested in football after watching the 2010 FIFA World Cup and some high-octane El Clasico clashes. His favorite footballer is Cristiano Ronaldo for the forward's mentality, and his favorite managers are Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, and Pep Guardiola for the brand of football their teams showcase.

Samyak only follows top tier and verified fan club social media accounts for sourcing information for his articles. One of his core strengths is crafting crisp and concise articles to avoid any and all potential confusion for readers. These shrewd methods have helped him attain strong readership on his articles, one of them even being read half a million times!

Zinedine Zidane's Panenka penalty in the 2006 final is Samyak’s favorite World Cup moment owing to the Frenchman’s sheer nerves of steel showcased, and thinks Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are ready to usher in a new era post-Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. During his free time, Samyak follows Real Madrid, plays football and reads finance articles.

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Edited by Bhargav