Analysis of the first round of fixtures of the World Cup contenders

Belgium - Group G

The Red Devils starting 11 against Panama.

Yet another team with exciting talent. They have certainly grown in the last 4 years. It showed yesterday as, after a frustrating first half against Panama, 2 minutes into the 2nd half an absolute stunner from Mertens gave them the lead. It shows all they need is a moment of magic. A routine win followed as De Bruyne and Hazard set up Lukaku to score 2 more to ensure a comfortable 3-0 win. The only team to win, score and keep a clean sheet among the contenders during their opening game.

They weren't spectacular in defense but were solid enough considering the absence of Kompany due to an injury. Once he returns it is set to become much more solid and with Courtois, in goal, they certainly have a team which can go all the way if they can handle the pressure in the latter stages of the tournament. Expect them to deliver a similar performance in the next game against Tunisia.

Performance Rating - 7/10