LEUVEN, Belgium (Reuters) – Belgium left with early fears to see Wales 3-1 and make a successful start to their World Cup qualifying campaign on Wednesday.
Harry Wilson gave Wales a 10-minute lead in their Group E opening game at Den Dreef in Leuven but Belgium came at the top from the back to score with goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Thorgan Hazard and Romelu Lukaku.
They continued with the top performances in a qualifying competition for Belgium, who won all 10 group matches in their 2020 European Championship predictions and nine of 10 in the qualifying matches for the last World Cup in Russia, where than they reached the semi-finals.
De Bruyne equalized with a shot from outside the penalty area in the 22nd minute and Hazard headed the Belgian into the lead six minutes later. Lukaku scored a 73rd-minute penalty for his goal-scoring record to expand his country to 58 goals.
Wales made an impressive start with a passing move, in which captain Gareth Bale scored with two or two quick passes before Wilson finished with a shot into the corner.
But they lost the familiar Joe Allen to injury and were soon taken on the back leg when the guests put themselves on the game.
De Bruyne, who played the lead in the attack without the injured captain Eden Hazard, found too much time and space on the edge of the Wales area to shoot on his right foot for the equalizer.
Hazard’s 28-minute goal came with good luck when Welsh defender Connor Roberts slipped at the crucial moment to allow the Bundesliga-based winner a free-kick at the back post from a Thomas Meunier cross.
Chris Mepham’s fierce challenge to Dries Mertens ended Wales ’hopes of coming back in the second half when he handed the penalty that turned Lukaku.
Written by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Edited by Clare Fallon and Ed Osmond