Belgium 3-0 Russia: 5 talking points as Romelu Lukaku's brace fires Red Devils past beleaguered hosts | UEFA Euro 2020
Belgium started their Euro 2020 campaign on a resounding note with a 3-0 thumping of Group B rivals Russia at the Krestovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg.
Romelu Lukaku scored a brace either side of a goal from substitute Thomas Meunier as the Red Devils blew their hosts aside.
The biggest surprise of the 2018 World Cup showpiece, Stanislav Cherchesov's side looked very different from their older selves. They lacked attacking flair and defensively were all over the place too.
In fact, it was a mix-up in the defense that allowed Lukaku to score the opener. Following that goal, Meunier made the most of a gift from goalkeeper Anton Shunin, whose clearance fell straight to the Borussia Dortmund star.
The second-half was a more cagey affair, with the Red Devils losing some of their steam. But even then Lukaku managed to find a third goal just two minutes into stoppage-time after being released by Muenier.
Belgium sit top of Group B after the first round of games with three points, followed by debutants Finland. The latter won earlier in the day against a distraught Denmark following the loss of Christian Eriksen to a grievous medical emergency.
Here are the five main talking points from the match.
#1 Belgium pounce on Russia's mistakes
Belgium were the stronger team on paper and the favorites to win the clash too. So it was no surprise to see them come flying out of the blocks from the word go and push Russia on the backfoot. However, some lapses in the home side's defense made their task easier.
Dries Mertens put in a cross which Andrey Semenov failed to intercept after he couldn't sort his feet out. That allowed Lukaku to pounce on the loose ball and fire into the bottom corner. Not long after that, Shunin pushed Thorgan Hazard's cross straight to Meunier, who then lashed home Belgium's second of the night.
The 'away' team were two for good at half-time and the match was seemingly over already.
#2 Russia have declined since their fairytale World Cup run
Russia surpassed everyone's expectations on home soil at the 2018 World Cup by reaching the quarter-finals and causing some major upsets along the way. But if tonight's match is anything to go by, then it looks like the National Team have lost some of that sheen and considerably declined.
Contrary to their fast-moving and breath-taking counter-attacking style from three years ago, Russia were painfully prosaic offensively. After two notable periods of high-pressing in the second-half, they failed to get the ball forward to their strikers. Russia's counter-attack plan was also completely disjointed. Belgium managed to hook the ball off them with the slightest hint of it, nipping their counter-attack in the bud.
We've also already discussed Russia's defensive lapses above, only adding more insult to injury. Cherchesov will demand more from his players ahead of their next game against Finland.