Trossard punishes New Zealand in five-goal Belgium rout

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GOAL

·27 June 2026

Trossard punishes New Zealand in five-goal Belgium rout

Belgium delivered an emphatic statement at BC Place with a 5–1 demolition of New Zealand that secured top spot in Group G. Leandro Trossard led the charge with two goals and an assist, while Kevin De Bruyne added another before late strikes from Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Saelemaekers completed the rout.

New Zealand's hopes of progressing from the World Cup ended despite Elijah Just's spectacular 84th-minute consolation volley. The All Whites struggled to contain Belgium's relentless attacking movement throughout and conceded twice more after Just briefly gave them hope. GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from New Zealand v Belgium.

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Winners

Leandro Trossard (Belgium)

Trossard delivered the match-defining performance with two goals and an assist as Belgium swept aside New Zealand. His movement between the lines caused constant problems, and his finishing answered any lingering questions about Belgium's attacking edge after two goalless draws to start the tournament.

After striking the post at 11 minutes with a left-footed shot that Tyler Bindon cleared off the line, Trossard opened the scoring in the 28th minute with a right-footed finish from close range following De Bruyne's corner. He doubled his tally early in the second half, controlling Hans Vanaken's pass before finding the net again.

Trossard completed his contribution by setting up De Bruyne for Belgium's third goal in the 66th minute, threading a pass that his teammate swept into the bottom corner. Withdrawn at 72 minutes with victory secured, his direct involvement in three goals made him the catalyst for a result that propelled Belgium to the top of Group G.

Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium)

De Bruyne produced an exceptional creative display capped with a goal that extended Belgium's lead to 3–0 in the 66th minute. His composed left-footed finish from the edge of the area into the bottom corner came after Trossard's pass found him in space, showcasing the connection between Belgium's two most dangerous attackers.

Beyond his goal, De Bruyne threatened repeatedly throughout his 72 minutes on the pitch. He delivered dangerous corners including the one that led to Trossard's opener, and had multiple shots either saved by Max Crocombe or blocked by New Zealand defenders as he probed for openings from advanced positions.

His ability to control the tempo kept New Zealand's defence under constant strain throughout Belgium's dominant spells. De Bruyne's withdrawal for Amadou Onana with the match decided allowed him rest ahead of the knockout rounds, his work having already ensured Belgium's passage as group winners.

Loser

Tim Payne (New Zealand)

Payne endured a difficult evening as Belgium's attacks repeatedly found space in his zone before he was substituted in the 64th minute. The right-back struggled to contain the movement of Trossard and De Bruyne, with Belgium consistently exploiting the channels he was responsible for protecting throughout his time on the pitch.

The defining moment of his match came when the ball deflected off his body for Trossard's opening goal at 28 minutes following De Bruyne's corner. That deflection gave the Belgian attacker the opportunity to poke home from close range, shifting a tight match decisively in the visitors' favour at a crucial stage.

Replaced by Michael Boxall immediately after Belgium's third goal, Payne's withdrawal signalled New Zealand's shift to damage limitation. His inability to stem the flow of Belgian attacks down his flank contributed to his team's eventual elimination from the tournament with the 5–1 defeat.