Belgium took a huge step towards the 2026 World Cup finals as they overcame an early setback to beat Wales 4-2 in a crucial qualifier.

Wales have proved a thorn in Belgium’s side over the years, and the Red Devils needed a late Kevin De Bruyne goal to beat the Dragons 4-3 in the reverse fixture in Brussels after an improbable comeback from Craig Bellamy’s men.

De Bruyne played a key role in settling this game in Belgium’s favour, though it looked as if it might be Wales’ night when Joe Rodon headed them into an eighth-minute lead.

However, De Bruyne levelled from the spot after Ethan Ampadu handled in the area, and Thomas Meunier put Belgium in front following excellent work from the superb Jeremy Doku.

A second De Bruyne penalty 14 minutes from time gave Belgium command and, though Nathan Broadhead halved the deficit late on, Leandro Trossard’s 90th-minute effort meant the seven minutes of injury time did not feature a frantic finish.

With North Macedonia held to a 1-1 draw by Kazakhstan, Belgium now lead Group J by a point. Wales are four points behind in third. Both they and Belgium have a game in hand on North Macedonia, whom Craig Bellamy’s men face in their final qualifier in Cardiff next month, with that game likely to be a shootout for a place in the play-offs.

Belgium recover after Wales’ red hot start

Rodon was left completely unmarked and meet Sorba Thomas’ corner with a header that Thibaut Courtois could not keep out, but De Bruyne swept into the bottom-left corner after a VAR check led to referee Daniel Siebert pointing to the spot despite Ampadu’s being accidental.

Doku then showed tremendous acceleration to chase down Trossard’s cross-field pass, and the laid the ball off for Meunier to power through the hands of Darlow at the near post.

Arthur Theate, Trossard and De Bruyne all saw chances to make it 3-1 go begging thereafter, though Wales retained a threat and Jordan James drew a diving save from Courtois before Harry Wilson shot wide of the post with a side-footed effort that was begging to be attacked.

Red Devils wrap it up

Doku bent narrowly over from the edge of the area three minutes into the second half, and it looked as if Belgium might pay the price for profligacy as Wales then exerted a period of control in the game.

But a moment of poor judgment from James effectively sealed the game, the midfielder gifting Belgium a second spot-kick with a clearly deliberate handball.

Again De Bruyne made no mistake as he doubled his tally. Broadhead briefly gave the home fans home when he lashed home as the Wales’ press paid dividends, but Trossard extinguished that belief by firing under Darlow after Timothy Castagne teed him up at the end of a brilliant Belgium move.

With their final qualifiers coming against Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein, Belgium are near-certainties to qualify automatically at the end of a testing campaign.