BRUSSELS: Belgium qualified for next year’s World Cup finals and kept up their unbeaten qualifying run as they beat Estonia 3-1 in Brussels last night.
The Belgians, semi-finalists in Russia in 2018, climbed to an unassailable 19 points in Group E as Christian Benteke scored early and Yannick Carrasco and Thorgan Hazard added second-half goals.
Belgium join Brazil, Denmark, France and Germany among the first five countries to qualify for next year’s finals in Qatar.
Meanwhile, Wales moved clear in second place in World Cup qualifying Group E with a 5-1 home rout of Belarus last night, as Gareth Bale earned his 100th cap for his country.
Aaron Ramsey scored twice for the hosts in Cardiff with Neco Williams, Ben Davies and Connor Roberts also on target as the Welsh boosted their hopes of finishing runners-up behind group winners Belgium who beat Estonia.
Wales are already guaranteed a place in the March playoffs to earn a place in next year’s Qatar finals having won their Nations League section. But finishing second in Group E could give them a better chance of a home draw.
Real Madrid’s Bale, Wales’s all-time top scorer, lasted only the first half of his 100th appearance before being withdrawn with a calf injury.
But by that stage Wales were already in command.
It took them only two minutes to go in front, as Ben Davies’s crisp volley was parried out by Belarus keeper Syarhey Chernik and Ramsey converted the rebound.
Williams doubled their lead in the 20th minute when he was played in by Bale and embarrassed Chernik with a near-post shot.
Ramsey coolly converted a penalty awarded for handball in the 50th minute to become only the sixth player to score at least 20 goals for Wales, and Davies then bundled in his first, on his 68th appearance for his country.
Artem Kontsevoi scored a late consolation for Belarus with a dipping shot, but Roberts completed the scoring as he touched in a Harry Wilson corner in the last minute.
Wales host Belgium in their final group game on Tuesday trailing the world number one nation by five points but with a three-point lead over third-placed Czech Republic.
A draw will be enough to seal the runners-up spot. The Czechs finish off against Estonia.
&uuid=(email))