Belgium's midfielder #07 Kevin De Bruyne (2ndL) celebrates with team mates after scoring the opening 1-0 goal during the UEFA Nations League football match League A, Group A2, Day 1, Belgium v Israel in Debrecen, Hungary, on September 6, 2024. (Photo by Attila KISBENEDEK / AFP)
Kevin de Bruyne scored twice as Belgium opened their UEFA Nations League campaign with a 3-1 victory over Israel behind closed doors in Debrecen in Hungary.
The victory left Belgium tied atop Group 2 in the top-tier League A with Italy who beat France by the same score.
The match, a Belgian home fixture, was moved after the city of Brussels deemed it “impossible to organise this very high-risk match” in the city due to tensions linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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Other Belgian cities also refused to host the match.
De Bruyne gave Belgium a 21st minute lead. Jeremy Doku broke down the left and pulled the ball back to his unmarked Manchester City club-mate.
Israel levelled after 36 minutes when Timothy Castagne deflected a header powerfully off his own crossbar and into the net.
Youri Tielemans ran on to a flick from Lois Openda to put Belgium ahead again in the 48th minute.
Openda, starting after Romelu Lukaku asked to be left out of the Belgium squad, then drew a foul from Raz Shlomo to win a penalty that de Bruyne converted in the 56th minute.
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Four minutes later, Openda won another penalty, drawing a foul from Sagiv Jehezkel.
Captain De Bruyne, who had never scored a hat-trick for Belgium, passed the ball to Openda but Yoav Gerafi saved the spot kick with his legs.
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