Belgium secured first place in Group G with an emphatic 5-1 victory over New Zealand, producing their best performance of the FIFA World Cup to book a place in the Round of 32.

Leandro Trossard starred with two goals, while Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku also found the net as Belgium bounced back after two underwhelming group-stage performances. The victory, combined with Egypt's draw against Iran, confirmed Belgium's progress to the knockout stage as group winners.

Belgium Dominate From the Start

Belgium controlled the match from the opening whistle and barely allowed New Zealand any attacking opportunities during the first half. The Red Devils created chance after chance, with Trossard striking the post early in the game.

The Arsenal winger also believed he had won a penalty after his shot struck Finn Surman's arm, but the referee overturned the decision following a VAR review.

Belgium finally broke the deadlock in the 28th minute. After a goalmouth scramble, Trossard reacted quickest and fired home from close range to give his side a deserved lead.

Trossard Inspires Second-Half Surge

Belgium continued their dominance after halftime. Just five minutes into the second half, Trossard completed his brace. Goalkeeper Max Crocombe initially denied his first effort, but the Belgian forward reacted brilliantly to score with an acrobatic finish.

Trossard almost added an assist soon afterwards. He played an excellent through ball to substitute Matias Fernandez-Pardo, but the youngster failed to keep his shot on target. Belgium soon added a third goal through Kevin De Bruyne.

Trossard's driving run drew several New Zealand defenders before the loose ball fell to De Bruyne, who calmly drilled a powerful shot into the bottom corner from outside the penalty area.

Lukaku Sets New National Record

Belgium's experienced stars continued to shine during the closing stages. Romelu Lukaku came off the bench and scored his sixth FIFA World Cup goal for Belgium, becoming the country's all-time leading World Cup scorer. He moved ahead of Marc Wilmots, who previously held the record with five goals. Belgium eventually completed an impressive 5-1 victory to finish the group stage in style.

Belgium Produce Their Best Display

Belgium completely dominated the contest from start to finish. They registered 35 shots during the match, their third-highest total in a World Cup game since records began in 1966. Only their matches against the United States in 2014 and El Salvador in 1970 produced more attempts.

Belgium also finished with an expected goals (xG) figure of 3.65, compared to New Zealand's 0.25, underlining their attacking superiority. Trossard and De Bruyne were at the heart of Belgium's attack, combining for 14 shots with seven attempts each.

At 31 years and 205 days old, Trossard also became the second-oldest Belgian player to score twice in a FIFA World Cup match. With confidence restored and their attacking stars finding form, Belgium now head into the Round of 32 looking like genuine contenders after an impressive group-stage finish.