FOOTBALL – KEVIN De Bruyne came to Belgium’s rescue with a winner two minutes from time as they scraped a 4-3 home victory over Wales in their World Cup qualifier last night after seeing their early lead evaporate as the visitors launched an unlikely fightback.
Belgium had been 3-0 up inside the first half hour, but Wales fought back to level the game before the Belgian talisman handed his side a potentially precious win in the qualifiers for the 2026 finals in North America.
It was a controversy-filled encounter with two penalties, a key strike ruled out and several lengthy interventions by VAR.
Belgium’s record goalscorer Romelu Lukaku got things going with a 15th minute penalty, followed by goals in the 19th minute for captain Youri Tielemans and Jeremy Doku in the 27th minute.
Wales pulled a goal back from a Harry Wilson spotkick on the stroke of halftime and then turned the game around with second half strikes from Sorba Thomas and Brennan Johnson.
Meanwhile, sacked Italy manager Luciano Spalletti bowed out with a victory after his side laboured to an uninspired 2-0 home win over Moldova thanks to goals from Giacomo Raspadori and Andrea Cambiaso.
Spalletti announced his own dismissal on Sunday following Italy’s 3-0 loss in Norway in their opening group game on Friday, but took charge for one final time at the Stadio Citta del Tricolore in Reggio Emilia.
Italy struggled early on before Raspadori put the hosts ahead five minutes before the break and Cambiaso doubled the lead five minutes after the interval but they failed to build on their two-goal cushion.
Norway, who won 1-0 in Estonia with Erling Haaland netting the winner, top Group I on 12 points from four games, with Israel on six points after three matches while Italy are third with three points from their two games.
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