Kevin De Bruyne spared Belgium’s blushes after blowing a 3-0 lead to beat Wales 4-3 and kickstart the Red Devils’ 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign on Monday.
Goals from Romelu Lukaku, Youri Tielemans and Jeremy Doku inside half an hour had given Belgium a dream start.
Wales, though, rallied through a Harry Wilson penalty, Sorba Thomas and Brennan Johnson to stun the side ranked eighth in the world.
But De Bruyne rode to his nation’s rescue, as he has so often in a stellar career, by steering in Tielemans’ perfect cross in the 88th minute.
Defeat was Craig Bellamy’s first as Wales manager as they fell just short of a national record of 10 matches unbeaten.
However, there remains plenty of positives for Wales’ hopes of reaching next year’s World Cup.
They sit second in Group J, one point behind North Macedonia, and three in front of Belgium, who have two games in hand.
Only one side will automatically qualify with second earning a place in the play-offs.
After a 1-1 draw at North Macedonia on Friday to begin their qualifying campaign, Rudi Garcia recalled three of his Premier League stars in Leandro Trossard, Amadou Onana and Tielemans and Belgium clicked into gear.
De Bruyne’s shot struck the arm of Johnson inside the area to give Lukaku the chance to open the scoring from the penalty spot for his 89th international goal.
Tielemans rounded off a brilliant team move for the home side’s second moments later as he turned in Maxime De Cuyper’s low cross.
A dazzling solo effort from Doku compounded Wales’ woes as they seemed set for a second half of damage limitation.
However, Harry Wilson’s penalty reduced the visitors’ deficit in first half stoppage time after Matz Sels was controversially penalised for a clash with Chris Mepham.
Bellamy’s men were right back in the game when Wilson brilliantly picked out Thomas to slot home Wales’ second six minutes into the second period.
Johnson’s header completed the comeback 21 minutes from time, but the visitors were unable to hold out against Belgium’s superior firepower.
Lukaku had a second goal controversially ruled out for the ball being out of play in the build-up after a lengthy VAR review.
That proved to be a mere reprieve for Wales as moments later Tielemans’ cross picked out the unmarked De Bruyne to volley in at the back post.
Meanwhile, Italy got off the mark in their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with Monday’s 2-0 win over Moldova, Luciano Spalletti’s last game as Italy coach.
Giacomo Raspadori and Andrea Cambiaso scored in each half for the Azzurri who sit third in Group I, trailing leaders Norway by nine points, and are at risk of missing a third straight World Cup.
Only top spot in the group gives direct qualification for next year’s finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico and even having played two games fewer than Norway, Italy’s best chance looks to the be finishing second and reaching the play-offs.
However Italy were denied a place at the last two World Cups after being beaten in the play-offs and are in the midst of an identity crisis following their disastrous title defeat at last year’s European Championship.
Spalletti, who presided over a dismal last-16 exit at the Euros, coached Italy on Monday having already been told that he was to be sacked after the 3-0 thumping dished out by Norway in their opening qualifier on Friday.
“When you’re the national team coach you have no excuses, it’s you who selects the squad,” said Spallett to public broadcaster Rai.
“It’s the coach who has to make the difference and unfortunately I wasn’t able to do that.”
Spallettti goes out after another uninspiring match played in a flat atmosphere in Reggio Emilia, where Italy got the three points needed but did little to inspire confidence in the future whoever replaces Spalletti.
Claudio Ranieri is widely reported as being the Italian Football Federation’s preferred candidate to replace Spalletti and guide Italy towards the World Cup, even though he retired from coaching after performing a near miracle with Roma this past season.
Agencies