Kevin De Bruyne double inspires Belgium to 3-0 victory over Türkiye

Kevin De Bruyne was the standout performer as Belgium defeated Turkey 3-0 in Liege on 2 October, securing a vital win in UEFA Nations League Group A1. The Belgian skipper scored twice before Romelu Lukaku completed the job to give the hosts a comfortable scoreline.

Belgium’s pressure quickly began to show its effect. De Bruyne put Belgium ahead in the 10th minute with the opening goal. The opportunities were there for Türkiye to hit back, but the home side was still dangerous and continued to get into attacking positions.

Another defining moment came in the second half. De Bruyne doubled Belgium’s lead with another goal in the 60th minute. Lukaku then added a third in the 76th minute to make sure there would be no late comeback from the visitors. The Turkish Football Federation confirmed the three goals scored by De Bruyne in the 10th and 60th minutes and Lukaku in the 76th.

Score highlights

Belgium 3-0 Türkiye

• 10’—Kevin De Bruyne
• 60’—Kevin De Bruyne
• 76’—Romelu Lukaku

Especially important was the result, which moved Belgium to six points after three Group A1 matches. France stayed top of the group with seven points after a 1-1 draw with Italy, who had four points, with Turkey still pointless.

For De Bruyne, it was another milestone in a remarkable career for Belgium. The two goals were his 200th and 201st in his senior career, for club and country combined, according to ESPN.

Lukaku also hit a landmark as he scored his 94th goal for Belgium. Reuters reported that De Bruyne and Youri Tielemans picked up yellow cards in consecutive games and were suspended for Belgium’s next Nations League game against France.

It was their third consecutive defeat in the competition. The team has had trouble putting away chances, and the 3-0 scoreline meant they had scored just one goal in their opening three matches. Turkey’s next challenge is against Italy on October 5.

The win gave Belgium momentum ahead of a big test against France. De Bruyne’s performance was the headline, but the clean sheet was just as important. Belgium combined attacking efficiency and defensive control to ensure Türkiye could not find a way back into the match.

So the 3-0 result was significant for reasons beyond the scoreline. Belgium now find themselves directly behind France in Group A1, and the next meeting between the two sides is incredibly important in the battle for position. Belgium will need to find another way to create attacking chances when the two sides meet with De Bruyne banned.