Goal

List of goalscorers

1 - 0
69'
2 - 0
75'
3 - 0
End of match

End of match

  • 94'
    FT: Belgium 3 - 0 Panama - After a fairly low-key first half, Belgium clicked into gear after the break, and scored minutes after coming back out onto the pitch. After a lovely Dries Mertens finish, Romelu Lukaku scored twice in succession to confirm victory for the Red Devils. Martinez's side still don't look to have hit full stride yet, but their quality was too much for a pretty poor Panama.
  • 90'
    Four minutes of added time to be played.
  • 89'
    Chadli is the final sub of the game, and he takes the place of Witsel in the Belgian midfield.
Card

Yellow card

a Bélgica
  • 88'
    Kevin De Bruyne is booked for a nasty studs up challenge on Tejada. Escobar hits it hard and low but Courtois collects.
  • 82'
    A second Hazard is joining the game! Thorgan, brother of Eden, replaces Dries Mertens.
Goal
Goaaaaaal!
de Bélgica en el 75'
  • 75'
    GOAL! BELGIUM! LUKAKU! And another for the Manchester United forward! A simple counter attack this time, as Eden Hazard runs free on the break. The tricky playmaker has bags of space, and he feeds Lukaku who just has the keeper to beat. He runs onto it and dinks a neat finish the keeper, and it's all over for Panama. 3-0.
  • 74'
    Belgium make a change of their own. Carrasco is taken off and Dembele comes on in his place.
  • 73'
    Panama make their final change. Perez is replaced by Tejada.
Goal
Goaaaaaal!
de Bélgica en el 69'
  • 69'
    GOAL! BELGIUM! LUKAKU! Not this time though! All three of Belgium's star men involved in this second goal; Hazard picked it up down the left, cutting inside and feeding De Bruyne. The Manchester City man then picked out a lovely dinked ball into the box to find Lukaku, who was waiting just onside at the back post. From there it was easy for the striker, and he placed a simple header into the net. 2-0.
  • 63'
    Double change for Panama: Rodriguez and Barrenas come off, and on come Gabriel Torres and Diaz.
  • 63'
    Double change for Panama: Rodriguez and Barrenas come off, and on come Gabriel Torres and Diaz.
Card

Yellow card

a Bélgica
  • 59'
    Guess what? Another booking! Jan Vertonghen is now shown yellow, after a rash challenge.
Card

Yellow card

a Panamá
  • 57'
    Yet another yellow. Godoy is the latest.
Card

Yellow card

a Panamá
  • 51'
    And another yellow card, this time for Murillo, who fouls Carrasco in a dangerous area. De Bruyne isn't too far off with his free-kick, but the shot goes just wide.
Card

Yellow card

a Panamá
  • 49'
    Cooper is put in the book for that challenge on Hazard in the lead-up to the goal.
Goal
Goaaaaaal!
de Bélgica en el 47'
  • 47'
    GOAL! BELGIUM! MERTENS! Belgium fly straight out of the blocks, opening the scoring through a lovely goal from Dries Mertens. The ball falls to the Napoli forward after an aerial challenge between Hazard and Cooper. He hits it on the half-volley from the edge of the box and it flies into the top corner over Penedo. A lovely strike. 1-0.
  • 46'
    Belgium kick off the second half!
  • 45'
    HT: Belgium 0 - 0 Panama - Goalless at the break, after a fairly uneventful first half. Belgium have been the better side; they have had most of the possession and a few shots on goal, but nothing to shout about.
Card

Yellow card

a Panamá
  • 45'
    Yellow for Panama forward Barcenas.
  • 39'
    Panama now have a corner, and a large cheer goes up around the stadium. It seems that the Panamanian fans have travelled in number to Sochi. Again, though, it comes to nothing.
  • 38'
    Hazard stings Penedo's gloves with an effort from about 15 yards out. It goes out for a corner, but Belgium fail to make anything of it.
  • 36'
    Lukaku looks to be free in the box with a cross coming in, but he is judged to have fouled Torres to find that space.
  • 30'
    The midfielder attempts to cross but it hits Cooper square in the head and goes out for a corner. The Panaman midfielder needs medical attention after the blow to the skull.
  • 29'
    Hazard is brought down on the left wing and Belgium have a free-kick. De Bruyne steps up...
  • 26'
    Hazard fires wide after a dangerous attack from the Red Devils.
  • 22'
    De Bruyne is fed from the set-play, and he fizzes a shot just over the bar. It's all coming through him at the moment.
  • 21'
    Close! De Bruyne plays a low ball across the face of goal, and Torres does very well to cut it out of the path of Lukaku for a corner.
Card

Yellow card

a Panamá
  • 18'
    Yellow for Davis, after a foul on Mertens.
Card

Yellow card

a Bélgica
  • 14'
    Yellow card to Thomas Meunier for a series of fouls. Harsh, maybe, but the referee is clearly trying to stamp down some authority early on.
  • 12'
    Hazard is handed a gift by Panama captain Torres, whose backpass to the goalkeeper from close range is undercooked. Hazard pounces but the angle is too tight and he hits the side-netting.
  • 7'
    Chance! The first real opportunity of the game goes to Yannick Carrasco, who fires at Penedo. Moments later Dries Mertens also has a pop. Belgium on top in the opening stages so far.
  • 5'
    Kevin De Bruyne, as expected, is pulling the strings for Belgium in the midfield. It will be imperative that Panama keep him quiet if they are to stand a chance here.
  • 1'
    The first shot of the game comes from Belgium, as Romelu Lukaku fires one over the bar from a tight angle.
  • 1'
    Panama get the ball rolling!
Start of match

Start of match

  • PRVW
    The anthems play out, and kick-off is just minutes away!
  • PRVW
    This is the first time the two teams have met, but Belgium last lost in an opening World Cup game in 1986, so it's a big task for their opponents today.
  • PRVW
    Belgium boast a formidable first XI, and are overwhelming favourites here. No surprises in either lineup, with Roman Torres the man to watch in the Panaman side. The centre-back is a national icon, and captains the team.
  • PRVW
    A look at those lineups side by side:
  • PRVW
    And Panama's starting XI: Penedo, Murillo, Escobar, R Torres, Davis, Gomez, Godoy, Cooper, J Rodriguez, Barcenas, Perez.
  • PRVW
    Here's how Belgium line up: Courtois, Alderweireld, Boyata, Vertonghen, Meunier, Witsel, De Bruyne, Carrasco, Mertens, E. Hazard, R. Lukaku.
Info

Pre-match

18 June 2018, 17:00

Referee: Janny Sikazwe

Stadium: Fisht Olympic Stadium

  • PRVW
    Hello and welcome to our coverage of the World Cup Group G opener! Belgium, who are favourites to top the group, take on underdogs Panama in Sochi, as the South American side look to break the Red Devils' nine-game unbeaten streak in the World Cup group stages.