Belgium 4 Saudi Arabia 0: Romelu Lukaku, Michy Batshuayi and Kevin De Bruyne on the scoresheet in easy win
Roberto Martinez's men warmed up for England and World Cup with an easy win over Saudi Arabia
ROMELU LUKAKU extended his incredible scoring streak to send a World Cup warning to England.
The big Belgian bullied the Saudi Arabia backline with a first-half brace in Brussels.
And it means Lukaku has now netted ten goals in his last six international games – form which should worry Gareth Southgate’s side ahead of their June 28 date in Russia.
Belgium, though, are hardly a one-man band, as proved by fine second-half strikes from Michy Batshuayi and Kevin De Bruyne.
And Roberto Martinez’s star-studded side are currently on a 16-match unbeaten run, the Spaniard’s only defeat as boss coming in his first game in charge against his home nation in September 2016.
However, it must be mentioned that of the teams they have played since losing to Spain, only Mexico and Holland are in the top 40 of Fifa’s rankings – and they drew against them both.
With that in mind, it is strange Martinez picked Saudi Arabia – who have qualified for Russia but on this evidence could be one of the worst teams there – for Belgium’s only friendly of this fortnight.
And the low-key opposition were no doubt largely the reason why the King Baudouin Stadium was half empty last night.
Yet at least manager Martinez, barring injured first-choice keeper Thibaut Courtois, lined up with his first-choice side.
In stark contrast to Southgate, he appears to already know the starting XI he will go with for Belgium’s World Cup opener against Panama.
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And currently that means no place for in-form Tottenham midfielder Mousa Dembele, with Martinez preferring Axel Witsel in the middle, even though he plays his club football in China.
Still, seven of last night’s starters ply their trade in the Premier League.
And of their stars, it was £75million man Lukaku who shone the brightest last night.
His first goal came in the 13th minute, finding space on the edge of the box to curl past static Saudi stopper Fawaz Algarni.
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And he added a second six minutes before half-time when, following a mazy run and quick feet from skipper Eden Hazard, he muscled off his marker and rolled the ball into the same bottom left corner.
After Hazard hit the bar, substitute Batshuayi – who joined Borussia Dortmund on loan from Chelsea in January – fired in a third 13 minutes from time with a fine turn and finish in the box.
Then Manchester City superstar De Bruyne added another a minute later when he drilled in low from 20 yards following a neat-one two with Lukaku.