Match ends, Finland 0, Belgium 2.
FinlandFinland0BelgiumBelgium2
Belgium secured wins in all three group games at a European Championship for the first time with a battling victory that left Finland's hopes of qualifying for the last 16 in the balance.
The world's number-one ranked side dominated proceedings in St Petersburg but only led through a late own goal from Finland keeper Lukas Hradecky, before Romelu Lukaku drilled a second.
Finland slipped from second in Group B to third by virtue of Denmark's 4-1 win over Russia in Copenhagen and they must now wait to see whether they qualify as one of the four best third-placed teams. The Danes go on to face Wales on Saturday in Amsterdam.
In their first appearance at a major tournament, Finland looked resolute and on course for the knockout stages until Hradecky turned a Thomas Vermaelen header over his own line after it came back to him off the woodwork, but they now look vulnerable in third given their goal difference is -2.
Four third-placed teams will reach the knockout phase and two - Switzerland and Ukraine - already hold better records than the Finns, with three more groups to be completed.
Belgium's win also means England, the Czech Republic, Sweden and France are guaranteed to progress even if they drop to third because they all have four points already.
De Bruyne answers fitness worries
Belgium will play one of the third place finishers in Seville on 27 June and they look like fearsome opposition with one defeat in their past 26 matches.
Head coach Roberto Martinez made eight changes from their 2-1 win over Denmark and while his side only played with fluency in patches, they slowly wore down a disciplined side.
Finland keeper Hradecky was key in his side's resistance as he produced fine saves to deny Jeremy Doku and Eden Hazard.
But when Vermaelen's header hit the post Hradecky was helpless as the ball struck him to cross the line and seven minutes later he could do little when Lukaku smashed home from a Kevin de Bruyne pass.
De Bruyne's contribution will please Belgium's followers given pre-tournament fitness doubts after he fractured his nose and eye socket in the Champions League final.
The Manchester City midfielder had more touches than anyone on the pitch with 107, played more key passes (seven)than any player, and made a game-high five tackles.
Player of the match
De BruyneKevin De Bruyne
with an average of 8.07
Finland
Avg
Squad number1Player nameHrádeckyAverage rating7.22
Squad number6Player nameKamaraAverage rating7.21
Squad number10Player namePukkiAverage rating6.15
Squad number14Player nameSparvAverage rating6.08
Squad number3Player nameO'ShaughnessyAverage rating5.84
Squad number2Player nameArajuuriAverage rating5.83
Squad number18Player nameUronenAverage rating5.81
Squad number22Player nameRaitalaAverage rating5.75
Squad number20Player namePohjanpaloAverage rating5.71
Squad number8Player nameLodAverage rating5.58
Squad number4Player nameToivioAverage rating5.51
Squad number9Player nameJensenAverage rating5.35
Squad number11Player nameSchüllerAverage rating5.22
Squad number19Player nameKaukoAverage rating5.20
Squad number17Player nameAlhoAverage rating5.13
Squad number26Player nameForssAverage rating5.03
Belgium
Avg
- Squad number7Player nameDe BruyneAverage rating
8.07
Squad number9Player nameLukakuAverage rating7.65
Squad number25Player nameDokuAverage rating7.36
Squad number24Player nameTrossardAverage rating7.05
Squad number6Player nameWitselAverage rating6.99
Squad number3Player nameVermaelenAverage rating6.96
Squad number10Player nameE HazardAverage rating6.83
Squad number1Player nameCourtoisAverage rating6.75
Squad number4Player nameBoyataAverage rating6.65
Squad number18Player nameDenayerAverage rating6.60
Squad number15Player nameMeunierAverage rating6.45
Squad number22Player nameChadliAverage rating6.34
Squad number23Player nameBatshuayiAverage rating6.25
Squad number20Player nameBentekeAverage rating6.20
Squad number17Player nameVanakenAverage rating6.03
Line-ups
Finland
Formation 5-3-2
- 1Hrádecky
- 22Raitala
- 4Toivio
- 2Arajuuri
- 3O'Shaughnessy
- 18UronenSubstituted forAlhoat 70'minutes
- 8LodSubstituted forForssat 90+1'minutes
- 14SparvSubstituted forSchüllerat 59'minutes
- 6Kamara
- 10PukkiSubstituted forJensenat 90+1'minutes
- 20PohjanpaloSubstituted forKaukoat 70'minutes
Substitutes
- 5Väisänen
- 7Taylor
- 9Jensen
- 11Schüller
- 12Joronen
- 13Soiri
- 17Alho
- 19Kauko
- 23Jaakkola
- 24Valakari
- 25Ivanov
- 26Forss
Belgium
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Courtois
- 18Denayer
- 4Boyata
- 3Vermaelen
- 24TrossardSubstituted forMeunierat 75'minutes
- 7De BruyneSubstituted forVanakenat 90+1'minutes
- 6Witsel
- 22Chadli
- 25DokuSubstituted forBatshuayiat 75'minutes
- 10E Hazard
- 9LukakuSubstituted forBentekeat 84'minutes
Substitutes
- 5Vertonghen
- 8Tielemans
- 11Carrasco
- 12Mignolet
- 13Sels
- 14Mertens
- 15Meunier
- 17Vanaken
- 19Dendoncker
- 20Benteke
- 23Batshuayi
- 26Praet
- Referee:
- Dr. Felix Brych
- Attendance:
- 18,545
Match Stats
Home TeamFinlandAway TeamBelgium
- Possession
- Home40%
- Away60%
- Shots
- Home7
- Away17
- Shots on Target
- Home1
- Away7
- Corners
- Home1
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home6
- Away10
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Finland 0, Belgium 2.
Post update
Corner, Finland. Conceded by Thomas Meunier.
Substitution
Substitution, Finland. Fredrik Jensen replaces Teemu Pukki.
Substitution
Substitution, Finland. Marcus Forss replaces Robin Lod.
Substitution
Substitution, Belgium. Hans Vanaken replaces Kevin De Bruyne.
Post update
Nacer Chadli (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Teemu Pukki (Finland).
Post update
Attempt missed. Eden Hazard (Belgium) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne following a fast break.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Nikolai Alho (Finland) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Substitution
Substitution, Belgium. Christian Benteke replaces Romelu Lukaku.
Post update
Foul by Michy Batshuayi (Belgium).
Post update
Joni Kauko (Finland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Goal!
Goal! Finland 0, Belgium 2. Romelu Lukaku (Belgium) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne.
Post update
Attempt missed. Robin Lod (Finland) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Teemu Pukki.
Post update
Eden Hazard (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Robin Lod (Finland).
Post update
Attempt blocked. Teemu Pukki (Finland) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Robin Lod with a through ball.
Post update
Foul by Michy Batshuayi (Belgium).
Post update
Joni Kauko (Finland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Comments
Join the conversation
For example Portugal may now know that a draw is enough. Whereas if they had been in one of the earlier groups, they would have been playing for the win and may have lost after being caught on the counter attack.
Unfair system, go back to the old one where only the top 2 qualify!
He's played and managed at the very highest level.
So the beeb invite him onto the show as a pundit, so he can have a say once Shearer and Ferdinand have talked rubbish.
You deserve far better Jurgen!
They have the coolest national anthem.
It’s the same as the Ludvig Borga theme and how cool was he.
Ya know what I mean !
In fact city could sign a number of strikers younger, less injury prone and less overrated