LIEGE, Belgium (Reuters) -Belgium hammered Liechtenstein 7-0 on Tuesday to confirm their berth at next year’s World Cup, finishing their campaign unbeaten.
A fifth victory in eight games gave Belgium a total of 18 points at the top of Group J, two more than runners-up Wales, and earned them a place at next year’s tournament in Canada, Mexico and the U.S.
Jeremy Doku and Charles De Ketelaere both scored twice and there were goals for Hans Vanaken, Brandon Mechele and Alexis Saelemaekers with the home side netting four times in a furious seven-minute, second-half spell.
Belgium will be competing at their 15th World Cup finals, having twice reached the semis.
Belgium got off to the quick start that coach Rudi Garcia had asked of them with Vanaken heading home from a cross from captain Youri Tielemans after 150 seconds at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne.
"We wanted to get the crowd behind us quickly," said Vanaken.
But it took another 32 minutes for Belgium to add a second as Saelemaekers dragged the ball back from the byline to an unmarked Doku on the penalty spot to finish.
Doku put Belgium 3-0 up in the 41st minute as an errant clearance found him just outside the box, and he then dribbled his way past three defenders before finishing with aplomb.
Tielemans’ flick-on in the 52nd minute allowed Mechele to stick out his foot and guide it into the net for a fourth and three minutes later Tielemans' shot was saved by Liechtenstein goalkeeper Benjamin Buchel only for Saelemaekers to pounce on the rebound.
Then De Ketelaere scored a quick-fire double in the 57th and 59th minutes, the first set up by Doku and the second by fullback Thomas Meunier.
"It was a beautiful evening and just great fun to play here," added De Ketelaere. "You could feel that from the start. The national anthem that resounded here was the best I've ever experienced."
Belgium had been criticised after failing to secure qualification on Saturday away at Kazakhstan, who held them to a 1-1 draw, but Tuesday’s result removed that disappointment.
Liechtenstein finished the campaign without scoring -- the only side in the European qualifiers to do so.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Toby Davis)
