Belgium win group thanks to four-goal Lukaku
Romelu Lukaku has led Belgium to the 2024 European Football Championship in Germany as group winners with a four-goal haul against Azerbaijan.
The 30-year-old attacker scored four times in the first half of the 5:0 (4:0) win in Brussels, taking his goal tally in the national shirt to 83. Only six players have officially scored more international goals.
For Lukaku, meanwhile, it was the first time he had scored four goals in an international match. With 14 goals in eight games, Lukaku also leads the scoring charts in European Championship qualifying.
After winning the draw for next year's finals, Belgium will certainly be in Pot 1 and will therefore not face Germany. Coach Domenico Tedesco's much-rejuvenated team finished unbeaten in qualifying Group F with six wins and two draws ahead of Austria.
The two Wolfsburg players Koen Casteels and Aster Vranckx, among others, started against Azerbaijan, with RB Leipzig's Lois Openda coming on for Lukaku in the second half.
In the second match of Group F, Sweden, who can no longer qualify for the European Championship, won 2:0 (1:0) against Estonia. The goals were scored by Viktor Claesson (22) and Leipzig's Emil Forsberg (55). Estonia will take part in the play-offs as winners of Nations League Group D.
Lukaku's impressive performance in the European Championship qualifying games has seen him become the leading scorer, with 14 goals in just eight matches. Belgium, with Lukaku at its best, cruised through Group F, securing automatic qualification for the 2024 European Football Championship in Germany, thanks to their stellar Soccer performance.
Source: www.dpa.com
