Wales 2-4 Belgium: De Bruyne's penalty double boosts qualification hopes
Belgium enjoyed themselves in Cardiff on Monday, as they moved a step closer to World Cup qualification after a 4-2 win over Wales.
Wales slipped to a 4-2 defeat to Belgium at Cardiff City Stadium, as their 2026 World Cup qualification hopes took a major blow.
Craig Bellamy's team knew a win on Monday might see them leapfrog Belgium into top spot in Group J, and Joe Rodon gave the hosts the ideal start as he headed home from a Sorba Thomas corner in the eighth minute.
However, just 10 minutes later, Kevin De Bruyne wheeled away in celebration after converting from the penalty spot, following Ethan Ampadu's unfortunate handball in the box.
With parity restored, Belgium were in the ascendancy, and in the 24th minute a superb diagonal ball from Leandro Trossard found Jeremy Doku on the right wing, whose cut-back was met by a thumping effort from Thomas Meunier.
Doku and Trossard continued to probe after the interval, and the latter earned the visitors another penalty when Jordan James was adjudged to have handled. De Bruyne stepped up again and coolly slotted past Karl Darlow.
While the hosts thought they had got themselves back in it after Nathan Broadhead lashed a strike past Thibaut Courtois in the 89th minute, Belgium had other ideas, as a blistering counter-attack was rounded off by Trossard to restore their two-goal cushion.
Defeat leaves Wales in third place, four points behind Belgium and three off second-place North Macedonia.
Data Debrief: De Bruyne's delight gives Wales a fright
Belgium are currently on a 25-match unbeaten run in World Cup qualifiers — their longest streak in the competition since at least 2010.
The Red Devils have also earned four penalties in the campaign, with no team winning or scoring more than Rudi Garcia's side.
De Bruyne, meanwhile, scored multiple goals in an international match for the fifth time, and for the second time in this qualifying campaign, having also done so against Kazakhstan, as Wales conceded two penalties in the same game for the first time on record (since at least 2003-04).
In fact, De Bruyne has now scored seven goals against Wales, four more than he has netted against any other nation.
