Belgium moved up to second in Group One of the 2027 UEFA Nations League with a 3-0 victory over Turkey, as Kevin De Bruyne scored twice and Romelu Lukaku completed the win in Liege.
The result at the Maurice Dufrasne Stadium on Friday restored Belgium’s momentum after their 1-0 defeat by France in their previous match. It also left Italy facing the possibility of missing out on a place in the semi-finals.
De Bruyne opened the scoring after 10 minutes with an accomplished finish. The Belgium midfielder went past a Turkey defender before sending a low shot into the bottom-left corner of the net.
The Napoli player doubled Belgium’s lead in the 60th minute, striking from outside the penalty area with a powerful effort which the Turkey goalkeeper was unable to keep out. Yuri Tielemans provided the pass for De Bruyne’s second goal.
Lukaku, introduced as a substitute, added the third 16 minutes later. He converted a low cross with his right foot after Charles De Ketelaere supplied the assist.
Belgium’s victory took them to six points, leaving them second in the group and one point behind leaders France. The two leading sides are due to meet on Monday.
The result also increased the pressure on Italy, who are third with four points. The gap means the Azzurri are now at risk of losing their opportunity to reach the semi-finals.
For Turkey, the defeat was their third consecutive loss in the competition. They remain bottom of the group without a point.
The win marked a return to form for Belgium after France had secured victory in their previous meeting with a late goal. De Bruyne’s two-goal performance and Lukaku’s contribution as a substitute gave the Red Devils a convincing response and kept their semi-final ambitions on course.