Belgium delivered a commanding 3-0 victory over Turkey in their Nations League League A fixture on Friday.
Manager Mark van Bommel selected a 4-3-3 formation, with Koen Casteels in goal behind a back four of Timothy Castagne, Nathan Ngoy, Brandon Mechele and Maxim De Cuyper. The midfield trio featured De Bruyne, Youri Tielemans and Hans Vanaken, supporting an attacking line of Dodi Lukebakio, Charles De Ketelaere and Mika Godts.
Fast Start
Captain De Bruyne broke the deadlock early, firing home in the 10th minute after being set up by Lukebakio. The first half saw some physical challenges, with yellow cards shown to Lukebakio in the 26th minute and Tielemans in the 30th.
The Brace and the Finisher
De Bruyne doubled the lead on the hour mark, finishing coolly after another assist from Tielemans in the 59th minute. Substitutions then injected fresh energy, with Romeo Lavia and Romelu Lukaku entering the fray in the 61st minute. Lukaku put the result beyond doubt in the 76th minute, tapping in a cross from De Ketelaere for the third goal.
Vincenzo Montella's Turkey side attempted to respond, registering 23 shots in total, but found Casteels in resilient form. The match ended with some late tension, as Nathan Ngoy and Arda Güler received yellow cards following a heated exchange in stoppage time.
The schedule is demanding, with a key away fixture against France next on Monday, October 5th.
