Belgium crushes Poland 6-1

BRUSSELS: Substitute Leandro Trossard scored twice as Belgium put its Netherlands nightmare behind it to thump Poland 6-1 in a pulsating Nations League match at the King Baudouin Stadium on Wednesday.

Belgium, which was coming off a 1-4 home drubbing by Netherlands on Friday, fell behind when Robert Lewandowski (28’) netted around the half-hour mark but levelled before the break through Axel Witsel (42’). The home team dominated the second period, with the goals coming from Kevin De Bruyne (59’), Trossard (73’ & 80’), Leander Dendoncker (83’) and debutant Lois Openda (90’).

Belgium never looked flustered after falling behind, having scored in every match since a 0-1 loss to France at the 2018 World Cup. Poland took the lead against the run of play as Sebastian Szymanski fed Lewandowski in space in the box and the forward delivered a typically composed finish.

Belgium was level three minutes before half-time as Witsel fired into the back of the net from the edge of the box. It peppered the Poland goal with shots in the second period and made it 2-1 when Hazard slipped the ball to De Bruyne in acres of space in the 18-yard box and the Manchester City midfielder came up with a cool finish.

That goal opened the floodgates, with Trossard grabbing a quick-fire brace, his second a superb curling effort into the top corner. Dendoncker then crashed home a 30-yard shot under no pressure from the wilting visitor while Openda completed the rout with a neat finish over the goalkeeper from Thorgan Hazard’s pass.

Netherlands defeats Wales

A second-string Netherlands defeated Wales 2-1 in Cardiff after a dramatic late finale on Wednesday. Wout Weghorst (90’) won the match for the Dutch, scoring via a header four minutes into stoppage time, straight after Wales looked to have snatched a late draw when Rhys Norrington-Davies (90’) netted. Teun Koopmeiners (50’) had opened the scoring five minutes into the second half to give the visitor the lead.

RESULTS:A4: Belgium 6 (A Witsel 42, De Bruyne 59, L Trossard 73 & 80, L Dendoncker 83, L Openda 90) bt Poland 1 (R Lewandowski 28); Wales 1 (Norrington-Davies 90) lost to Netherlands 2 (T Koopmeiners 50, W Weghorst 90)

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