Belgium, mexico virtually through
MOSCOW: Two goals each for Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard and one for Michy Batshuayi swept Belgium to a 5-2 victory over Tunisia on Saturday that put them in command of World Cup Group G and underlined their status as one of the tournament favourites.
After racking up two wins and a goal difference of plus-six Belgium are virtually assured of advancing, but it is not yet guaranteed - and they will be aware that they will need to tighten up at the back to handle the threat of the big guns deeper into the tournament.
Should Belgium lose their final game against England, currently on three, and if pointless Panama somehow beat England and Tunisia, all three would have six points, and the top two would be decided on goal difference, though it would need a footballing catastrophe to stop Roberto Martinez's side.
Tunisia, also without a point after two matches having extended their 40-year World Cup winless run to 13 games, are also still in with a theoretical chance of making it on through three points.
Belgium was much the better team from the off, looking dangerous on almost every attack, but they were seriously aided and abetted by some ragged defending and non-existing marking from their opponents.
Belgian striker Lukaku drew level with Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and made him Belgium's highest scorer at a single World Cup - after one-and-a-half games.
Meanwhile, Carlos Vela's penalty and a superbly-taken breakaway goal by Javier Hernandez gave Mexico a 2-1 World Cup Group F win over South Korea on Saturday which put them on the brink of a place in the last 16.
Mexico, shock winners over Germany in their opening game, went ahead in the 26th minute when Vela sent goalkeeper Cho Hyun-woo the wrong way from the spot after Andres Guardado's cross hit the outstretched arm of Jang Hyun-soo at close range.
Hernandez added the second in the 66th minute, cutting inside his marker before guiding the ball home to finish off a lightning counter-attack after Mexico won the ball deep in their own half.
