As it happened: Tunisia 2-5 Belgium

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Updated 23 June 2018
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As it happened: Tunisia 2-5 Belgium

  • Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard score two goals each as the Red Devils demolish the Eagles of Carthage
  • Unless Panama beat England, Tunisia's World Cup looks like it is over

4.58PM: FULLTIME - Tunisia 2 Belgium 5. A resounding victory for Belgium, and Tunisia are now hoping for results elsewhere to go their way to stand any chance of progressing...

4.56PM: GOAL FOR TUNISIA - Khazri gets a consolation goal for the Eagles of Carthage, but that is all it will be...

4.52PM: GOAL FOR BELGIUM - A thoroughly bad day at the office for Tunisia as Belgium get a fifth goal through Batshuayi. Ominous for the rest of the World Cup. Unless Panama can do them a favor, Tunisia are heading home early...

4:38PM: A glimmer of hope for anyone facing Belgium in this World Cup will be how vulnerable they can be at the back. Fantastic going forward, but defensively they are not the finished article...

 

4.30PM: It's starting to look like a training game for Belgium now, who are finally showing the sort of form we expect from such a talented squad. Best two displays from one team of the World Cup so far? We think so...

 

 

4.15PM: GOAL FOR BELGIUM: Any hopes Tunisia had of saving their World Cup have been snuffed out by Eden Hazard, who strikes home with the goalkeeper beaten to put Belgium 4-1 up. Unless Panama pull off a miracle tomorrow, you feel Tunisia are out...

4.10PM: Tunisia with a promising attack, but the move breaks down at the vital moment. Tunisia doing the right thing here, they have to attack and find two goals. Quickly...

3.48PM: HALF-TIME - While they had their moments, Tunisia were second best during that first period. Belgium could have perhaps got a couple more and the Eagles of Carthage have it all to do now. 

3.47PM: GOAL FOR BELGIUM - Moments after he should have got a goal Lukaku finds the back of the net, with a neat dink over the Mustafa following a great ball from Meunier. 

3.40PM: Again there is a lot to like about this Tunisian performance. Khazri is coming more and more intot he game and they are showng more ambition in the first 40 minutes than they did in the entire match against England. 

3.37PM: LOTS OF SUPPORT BACK HOME

 

 

 

3.32PM: TUNISIA COMING BACK INTO IT - Sassi and Khazri both have good shots saved during a period of dominance for Tunisia. Things are looking better for the North Africans. 

3.30PM: The Tunisia defence is being opened up at will here. Lukaku should have got his second and Belgium's third but a heavy touch proves his undoing. 

3.25PM: COMEBACK ON THE CARDS?

 

3.22PM: SUBSTITUTION -  Bronn is down hurt after blocking a shot, it looks like his knee buckled at a horrible angle. He is replaced by Hamdi Naguez.

3.17PM: GOAL FOR TUNISIA -  What a response! Bronn gets his head on the end of a Khazri freekick - GAME BACK ON! 

3.15PM: GOAL FOR BELGIUM -  It is all too easy for Belgium as Lukaku makes a pretty simple run yet finds himself in acres of space before drilling the ball leftfooted into the bottom corner. THis is not the start Tunisia were looking for. 

3.11PM: Almost another for Belgium as Lukaku does well down the right to set uop Hazard whose poor shot is easily saved by Mustapha.

3.10PM: FRUSTRATED FAN

 

3.08PM: Tunisia now know what they need to do, they cannot just sit back and wait for things to happen, they need to take the game to Belgium or face an early exit. 

3.05PM: GOAL FOR BELGIUM. Hazard makes no mistake from the spot, slotting the ball home for his 23rd international strike and an early lead for the favorites. 

3.05PM: PENALTY TO BELGIUM. Ben Youssef faouls the rampaging Hazard on the right side of the area and the referee has no hesitation to point to the spot. It's referred to the VAR who confimrs the bad challenge took place in the area. 

3.01PM: Twenty seconds gone and already Tunisia have dished out a hard challenge on Hazard, setting their stall out for the rest of the match. Belgium waste the resulting free-kick. 

3PM: The nationals anthems are being sung with gusto in Moscow. Can the passion in their voices be matched by passion and panache on the pitch? 

2.45PM: THE MEN TUNISIA NEED TO STOP - Eden Hazard and Kevin de Bruyne are the main threats facing the Eagles of Carthage today. Can they keep them quiet? 

 

 

2.42PM: Tunisia coach Nabil Maaloul swapped his goalkeeper with Farouk Mustapha taking over from Mouez Hassen, who played in the opening 2-1 defeat to England, failing to stop Kane scoring the late winner for the Three Lions.
In the only other change, Troyes midfielder Saif-Eddine Khaoui replaced Naim Sliti in the middle of the park for Tunisia.

Belgium coach Roberto Martinez started with the same team which beat Panama for Saturday's World Cup group match against Tunisia in Moscow.
Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku is looking to add to the two goals he scored in their opening 3-0 rout of Panama for the clash at the Spartak Stadium in Moscow.

2.40PM: TEAMS ANNOUNCED. 

BELGIUM - Thibaut Courtois; Toby Alderweireld, Dedryck Boyata, Jan Vertonghen; Thomas Meunier, Axel Witsel, Kevin De Bruyne, Yannick Carrasco; Eden Hazard (capt), Dries Mertens; Romelu Lukaku

TUNISIA - Farouk Mustapha; Syam Ben Youssef, Yassine Meriah, Fakhreddine Ben Youssef, Ali Maaloul; Dylan Bronn, Ellyes Skhiri, Ferjani Sassi; Saif-Eddine Khaoui, Wahbi Khazri (capt), Anice Badri

2.30PM: The Eagles of Carthage suffered last-minute heartache against England on Monday, when a Harry Kane header in injury-time sealed a 2-1 win for his side in the opening clash of Group G.

Nabil Maaloul’s men now face highly fancied Belgium knowing another defeat would end their interest in the tournament after just one game. They looked solid, without ever being spectacular against England. Can they find another gear and cause a shock against Eden Hazard and Co?


Ton-up Farhan helps Pakistan seal Super Eight spot with Namibia rout

Updated 19 February 2026
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Ton-up Farhan helps Pakistan seal Super Eight spot with Namibia rout

  • It was Farhan’s maiden T20 ton and he became only the second Pakistani to score a T20 World Cup century after Ahmed Shehzad in 2014 against Bangladesh

COLOMBO: Sahibzada Farhan hit a magnificent unbeaten century to help Pakistan seal the final Super Eight berth at the T20 World Cup with a thumping 102-run win over Namibia in Colombo on Wednesday.

Farhan scored 100 not out off 58 balls with four sixes and 10 fours as Pakistan posted 199-3 before they routed Namibia for 97 in 17.3 overs.

Pakistan’s victory took them to six points from four games in Group A and eliminated the United States, who finished with four points.

India also have six points and play the Netherlands in the group’s final game later Wednesday.

The defending champions India, South Africa, Zimbabwe and the West Indies will play each other in the Super eights Group 1, hosted in India.

Pakistan join New Zealand, England and co-hosts Sri Lanka in Group 2, hosted in Sri Lanka.

After a morale-shattering 61-run defeat against India, Pakistan needed a victory to avoid an early exit, which was achieved with ease as spinners Usman Tariq (4-16) and Shadab Khan (3-19) tore through the Namibia batting.

Louren Steenkamp scored 23 while Alexander Busing-Volschenk was the only other batsman to reach double figures with 20.

‘Complete performance’ 

Skipper Salman Agha praised a clinical show.

“It is a complete performance,” said a relieved Agha.

“We batted well and Farhan anchored the innings. He has been batting well for a while and I am happy that he got his hundred.

“With the ball we were lethal.”

Namibian skipper Gerhard Erasmus admitted Pakistan’s spin bowlers were too hot to handle.

“It (spin) is a special skill to have, to turn the ball both ways like they do,” said Erasmus.

“I think that’s one of the things we’ll definitely take home and look to improve on.”

Farhan earlier blasted a six and a four off pace bowler Jack Brassell to enter the 90s before taking a single off Gerhard Erasmus to complete his hundred in the final over.

It was Farhan’s maiden T20 ton and he became only the second Pakistani to score a T20 World Cup century after Ahmed Shehzad in 2014 against Bangladesh.

Shadab Khan, promoted to No. 5 with Babar Azam left out, hit three sixes and a four in his 36 not out off 22 balls as Pakistan smashed 42 from the last three overs.

Farhan put on 40 for the opening wicket with Saim Ayub (14) before consolidating the innings during a 67-run second wicket stand with captain Salman Agha (38).

Pakistan also left out pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi after a poor show in the first three matches, including conceding 31 in two overs in the defeat against India on Sunday.

Farhan’s ton means this is the first T20 World Cup in which three centuries have been scored.

He followed Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka, who scored a hundred against Australia on Monday, and Canada’s Yuvraj Sama who reached three figures against New Zealand on Tuesday.