Hazard streaked clear to secure victory for Belgium

The Belgians were ahead for the majority of the game courtesy of Thomas Menuier's early opener.

Little by little, the 'Three Lions' began to pile more and more men forward in the search for an equaliser that would keep their hopes of a third-place finish alive.

With that came gaps at the back and Hazard ensured that he ruthlessly exploited those gaps with 82 minutes gone.

Kevin De Bruyne slid the ball into Hazard's path in the left-hand channel and the little genius did the rest, getting in behind and making a mockery of Phil Jones in the process.

That left just the goalkeeper to beat and Hazard successfully fooled Jordan Pickford by shaping to aim for the far post before wrapping his foot around the ball in drilling it home at the near post to double Belgium's lead with his third goal of the tournament.

 

14 July 2018