Belgium vs Panama, World Cup 2018: Romelu Lukaku on target as dark horses click into gear in second-half

Belgium 3-0 Panama: Lukaku’s late double rather flattered Belgium, with the 3-0 winning margin over World Cup debutants Panama not telling the full story of the match

Going into an encounter as firm favourites is nothing new for Belgium, a nation who normally get the job done in emphatic style, but in Sochi, in a World Cup where the well-fancied teams have laboured thus far, Belgium struggled past a team ranked 55th in the world.

Having put 15 past Gibraltar in qualification, 10 past Estonia and eight past Cyprus, all while only dropping points against Greece, Belgium have become masters of being the flat-track bully when it comes to disposing of inferior opponents.

Along with Germany, Belgium in fact broke the record for goals scored in European World Cup qualification with 43 strikes en route to Russia.

Panama, who qualified for a first-ever World Cup with a negative goal difference, having won just three of ten qualifiers, should have represented cannon fodder to an attack-heavy Belgium side, but until Dries Mertens’ thunderous volley broke the deadlock early in the second half, Belgium laboured, and looked shorn of ideas.

Belgium’s go-to forwards just weren’t producing the goods early on. Hazard, whose mind was possibly elsewhere after discussing his Chelsea future in L’Equipe pre-match, should have opened the scoring when gifted an early opening, only to find the side-netting. His shooting was otherwise wayward and his corners were not beating the first man.

Lukaku, back to full fitness after missing Manchester United’s final few Premier League games, just was not getting the service, while Mertens was unable to work his magic on the opposite flank. His first meaningful contribution certainly settled Belgian nerves just after the interval.

Lukaku then made the margin of victory comfortable with a well-taken double late in the second half, but the 3-0 victory does not tell the full story.

Dries Mertens opened the scoring with a fine volley (Getty)

Panama fans outnumbered their Belgian counterparts by at least five to one, and have been revelling, with palpable bewilderment, in a first ever World Cup match build-up.

On the pitch, Panama were less dynamic, happy to sit deep, and invite Belgium on to them, with Belgium’s every touch booed en masse by Russian’s who have taken Panama to their hearts.

Nonetheless, three Belgium shots on target in the first half tells its own story. Panama certainly did not suffer the bombardment on their goal many expected.

Romelu Lukaku doubled Belgium's lead (Getty)

Even when Mertens did find the net in spectacular fashion in the 47th minute, the flood gates remained firmly shut, with Panama in fact creating the next big chance of the match, with full-back Michael Murillo denied by a smart save from Thibaut Courtois.

Lukaku’s late double, after being picked out by Kevin De Bruyne’s super cross made sure of a victory that takes Roberto Martinez to 20 games unbeaten as Belgium coach, but that is not a fair reflection of progress.

The 3-4-3 formation that Martinez deploys remains unconvincing. Yannick Carrasco looks like the winger he is out of position at wing-back, while De Bruyne cannot be as effective as he has been for Manchester City that season when asked to drop as deep as he did in Sochi.

Romalu Lukaku hit a second-half brace (Getty)

Belgium’s sterner tests are to come. The last few times they have faced more prestigious opposition they looked like anything but World Cup winning candidates. A meek display in a 0-0 draw with Portugal in a recent friendly, and a limp 2-0 home defeat to Spain in late 2016 certainly shows this team still has much improving to do when the opponents are of similar ilk.

A winning start to a World Cup, especially one as unpredictable as this, is not to be sniffed at, but this was anything but impressive from a side normally at home dismantling lesser opponents.

It is those sterner tests to come that will be a greater indication of their chances of garnering a first World Cup crown.