Lukaku makes dream return as Belgium see off Croatia in World Cup warm-up

[p]The first effort on goal came courtesy of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doku-jeremy/lMHcYK4f/"]Jeremy Doku[/a], playing through the middle amid continued doubts over the match fitness of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lukaku-romelu/dCkG0Iw0/"]Romelu Lukaku[/a], but it did not unduly trouble [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/livakovic-dominik/OOasPX9j/"]Dominik Livakovic[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/croatia/K8aznggo/"]Croatia[/a] worked a better early opening when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/modric-luka/bZWyoJnA/"]Luka Modric[/a] picked out [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/musa-petar/2JMpq78N/"]Petar Musa[/a] on the break, yet the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fc-dallas/4GtbI4Q1/"]FC Dallas[/a] forward could only find the side netting as the angle rapidly closed.[/p][p]The Red Devils then drew a promising free-kick through Doku, although [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-cuyper-maxim/GGc6kPWT/"]Maxim De Cuyper[/a]’s decision to take over duties from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-bruyne-kevin/MsPs6OI5/"]Kevin De Bruyne[/a] seems unlikely to be repeated in a hurry.[/p][p][b]Sure enough, a quick De Bruyne free-kick started the move that led to the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/belgium/GbB957na/"]Belgium[/a] opener, and it was no surprise that Doku was heavily involved too. Tormenting his marker out wide, he worked the space to find a cross, and a defensive mess in the middle saw the ball fall to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tielemans-youri/GtkTQyib/"]Youri Tielemans[/a] to slot home.[/b][/p][embed guid="08a0da51-be80-451d-adec-b6c3b6872d35" url="https://x.com/BelRedDevils/status/2061856437047808189" social-type="twitter" /][p]That was a fair reflection of the first half, although [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/courtois-thibaut/MVExOq3n/"]Thibaut Courtois[/a] had to be at his best to deny former club teammate Modric an equaliser just before the break. [/p][p]Both teams came out unchanged for the second half, but they almost seemed to be killing time ahead of the expected mass switch in personnel.[/p][p]That eventually came around the hour mark, with the hosts making five changes at once, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/budimir-ante/IeVXGQOi/"]Ante Budimir[/a] came agonisingly close to an instant impact when his header crashed off the crossbar.[/p][p]The same story then played out at the other end, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vanaken-hans/0Cu4qHps/"]Hans Vanaken[/a] nodding his effort onto the woodwork following his introduction from the bench.[/p][p][b]With the game seemingly petering to a close, fellow substitute Lukaku restated his credentials for a WC starting spot despite limited minutes at club level, settling the contest with a well-taken goal on the break in his first Belgium match in a year.[/b][/p][embed guid="b178a5e2-b34f-4fd3-ac3c-4349c56d56d4" url="https://x.com/BelRedDevils/status/2061872776382685342" social-type="twitter" /][p]Zlatko Dalic’s side have now suffered consecutive friendly losses for the first time in two decades, having previously gone nine games in a row without defeat.[/p][p]Next up for Belgium is a home friendly against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tunisia/QqZVYk95/"]Tunisia[/a], ahead of a WC opener against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/egypt/bejDn7NN/"]Egypt[/a]. Croatia will begin their tournament in the USA with a massive clash against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/england/j9N9ZNFA/"]England[/a], after they host [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/slovenia/tfMf3PoO/"]Slovenia[/a] in their final preparation match.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tielemans-youri/GtkTQyib/"]Youri Tielemans[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/belgium/GbB957na/"]Belgium[/a])[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/belgium-GbB957na/croatia-K8aznggo/?mid=EDo2e0I5"]Click here for more on the match[/a][/p]