Romelu Lukaku puts two past improving Scotland as Belgium hand Steve Clarke his first defeat

Romelu Lukaku
Romelu Lukaku scored twice as Belgium hit three past Scotland in the Euro 2020 qualifier Credit:  REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

 Belgium 3-0 Scotland

An old tale, often told, was aired again in Brussels where Romelu Lukaku twice and Kevin De Bruyne added another in injury time to put Belgium clear at the top of Group I in the chase for Euro 2020 qualification, with Scotland in fourth place. If the outcome was entirely predictable, the Scots’ performance was sufficiently encouraging for the Tartan Army to believe that Steve Clarke might yet eke reward from the campaign.

Clarke had to plot some form of resistance which would not involve his best player after Andrew Robertson reported a hamstring strain which excluded him from the action.

Greg Taylor was summoned to win his first cap, the second Kilmarnock debutant in as many games, Eamonn Brophy having started against Cyprus. Brophy’s omission was one of five changes to the Scots’ line-up, all the others being tactical.

Ryan Fraser, whose combinations with Robertson on the left wing were a notable positive in the Cyprus game, found himself on the bench alongside James Forrest and John McGinn, with Scott McTominay, Stuart Armstrong and Johnny Russell the other changes.

Taylor would have been forgiven stage fright, given his abrupt elevation and the immediate threat of De Bruyne, but the new boy looked nerveless on his periodic overlaps to link with Armstrong and Burke.

On one occasion Taylor was skinned by De Bruyne but culpability lay with Russell, who played a pass to his colleague painfully short. Scotland survived that scare and also a cross from De Bruyne that became a shot mid-flight, forcing David Marshall into a full-length tip around his post for a corner kick.

Belgium's Romelo Lukaku, right, scores the first goal of the match 
Romelu Lukaku heads in his first Credit: AP Photo/Olivier Matthys

Against Cyprus, the Scots conceded in the dying seconds of the game, although the damage was overcome by Burke’s subsequent winner. In this instance, the nerve-shredding moment came just before the half-time whistle when Eden Hazard’s diligence resulted in an inviting cross which Lukaku – who had done very little to justify his place - duly met with an unopposed header beyond Marshall.

Six minutes into the second half, Marshall produced another fine stop from De Bruyne, whose free kick from 25 yards was dipping below the crossbar until the Hull City man diverted it over the crossbar. He was called into action again when the Scottish midfield was nullified by a brilliant through ball from Vincent Kompany which found De Bruyne for a venomous shot.

Marshall did well to block but the rebound spun perfectly for Lukaku to notch his 48th international goal, which finished the contest effectively, although without disgrace for Clarke and his players, who would have scored had Forrest taken the golden chance that fell his way after Scott McKenna forced a late and unexpected opening. De Bruyne then demonstrated the art with a torpedo finish in injury time.

Match details

Belgium (3-4-3) Courtois (Real Madrid); Vertonghen (Tottenham), Alderweireld (Tottenham), Kompany (Man City); Castagne (Atalanta), Tielemans (Monaco (Mertens (Napoli) 77), Witsel (Dortmund), T Hazard (Borussia Moenchengladbach); Du Bruyne (Man City), Lukaku (Man City), E Hazard (Chelsea).
Booked De Bruyne.

Scotland: (4-4-2) Marshall (Hull City): O’Donnell (Kilmarnock), Mulgrew (Blackburn Rovers), McKenna (Aberdeen), Taylor (Kilmarnock); McTominay (Manchester United), McLean (Norwich City), Russell (Kansas City (Forrest (Celtic 67), McGregor (Celtic); Burke (West Brom), Armstrong (Southampton (Fraser (Bournemouth) 30).
Booked McTominay.

Referee Petr Ardeleanu (Cze).

 

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