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Belgium vs Azerbaijan. European Championship Qualifying Group A.

Koning Boudewijn StadionAttendance34,585.

Belgium 4

  • J Vertonghen (12th minute)
  • T Simons (31st minute pen)
  • N Chadli (46th minute)
  • J Vossen (74th minute)

Azerbaijan 1

  • R Abbasov (16th minute)

Belgium turn on the style

Image: Vertonghen: Scored opener

Belgium produced a polished performance to beat Azerbaijan 4-1 as they look to finish second in Group A.

Hosts eye a place in the Euro 2012 finals

Belgium produced a polished performance to see off Azerbaijan 4-1 and increase their chances of finishing second in Group A. Jan Vertonghen scored an early goal for the Belgians only to see it cancelled out by Ruslan Abishov. The home side were attacking at will and Timmy Simons' penalty confirmed their dominance before Nacer Chadli made it three before the interval. Jelle Vossen then applied the gloss to an impressive display as he scored the fourth late on.

Moved

The win moved Belgium a point clear of third-placed Turkey in the group, with Germany comfortably on course to finish top. Belgium came flying out of the blocks and Moussa Dembele shot against the bar before Vertonghen opened the scoring in the 11th minute. Simons laid the ball to the Ajax defender who drilled an effort into the far bottom corner from 25 yards. Vossen then had a sight of goal but fired wide as the hosts continued to threaten, but they were stunned in the 16th minute when Azerbaijan equalised.
Silence
Abishov headed home Mahir Shukurov's outswinging corner to silence the home fans. Belgium were back in front on the half-hour mark, though, after Rashad Sadygo's handball in the box and Simons' cool penalty into the bottom corner. Chadli then went close with a free-kick which goalkeeper Kamran Agayev tipped round the post, and the FC Twente winger did add a third in first-half stoppage time when he headed in Axel Witsel's cross. Vossen made it four in the 74th minute when he picked out the bottom corner from Eden Hazard's ball in. He nearly gave his side an even more convincing win shortly after but Agayev parried his shot from the edge of the box.