Two each for Hazard and Lukaku as Belgium thump Tunisia 5-2

Eden Hazard has praised his Belgium teammate Romelu Lukaku for his goalscoring prowess following the nation’s 5-2 win over Tunisia at the 2018 World Cup.

With qualification ensured, some of those players may now be rested for the England game, especially Lukaku who is nursing an ankle ligament injury.

Holders Germany, five-time champions Brazil, France, Argentina and Spain have all not been able to match Belgium’s free-scoring exploits, but Roberto Martinez’s men will be aware that they will need to tighten up at the back.

“We are still growing and in certain situations we didn’t control the ball well enough”, said Belgium’s Spanish coach.

On the other hand Tunisia became the third African team to be dumped out of the 2018 edition of the Fifa World Cup following Egypt and Morocco through the exit door here in Russian Federation. The previous match of England vs Tunisia resulted in 2-1, only to prove that they can pose to be a threat to Belgium. Now the team of Robert Martinez to secure local success in the upcoming game with Tunisia.

“We tried to give our maximum, but against players like that, it you commit errors, you’ll pay hard”, he added. “They’re very great players, and a great team”.

After seeing Lukaku and Dries Martens grab the goals against Panama, Hazard wants to add some goals of his own.

Batshuayi, who came on for Hazard, had three quality chances to score in an increasingly driving rain before finally converting.

“We knew it before the tournament”.

‘I told Romelu at half time that we needed him, ‘ Hazard said after the 3-0 win over Panama.

This was the ninth 5-2 in World Cup history. “We take it game after game”.

The Spaniard’s predecessor Marc Wilmots, whose Belgian record five goals in World Cups Lukaku has now equalled, struggled to fill a regular centre-forward berth for Belgium.

There was some good news for Martinez on Thursday when Barcelona centre-back Thomas Vermaelen trained for the first time in Russian Federation. The Manchester City midfield maestro turned provider again after the break for Hazard.

Belgium’s at-times sloppy passing and repeated loss of possession by their holding midfielders against Tunisia may be lost amid the enthusiasm of their big victory which all but assures them a spot in the knockout stage.

Bronn and Ben Youssef were both replaced after leaving the field on stretchers.

While the jubilant Belgium fans were singing “please don’t take me home” long after the final whistle, the Tunisia players can start thinking about their return flights from Russian Federation.