Vancouver. Leandro Trossard scored twice as Belgium shook off a sluggish start to its World Cup campaign and advanced to the knockout stage with a 5-1 victory over New Zealand on Friday night.

Belgium finished atop Group G and will face one of the tournament's best third-place teams on Wednesday in Seattle. The other group finale, played simultaneously in Seattle, ended in a 1-1 draw between Egypt and Iran.

The Belgians entered the final group match in third place after opening the tournament with a 1-1 draw against Egypt and a scoreless draw against Iran.

Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Saelemaekers also scored as Belgium, which exited in the group stage at the 2022 World Cup after finishing third in Russia in 2018, secured its place in the knockout round.

Elijah Just scored for New Zealand, which needed a victory to keep its hopes of advancing alive. The All Whites leave the tournament still searching for their first World Cup win.

If Belgium wins its knockout-round opener, it will face the winner of the match between the United States and Bosnia-Herzegovina in the round of 16.

Trossard nearly opened the scoring early, but goal-line technology confirmed that the ball had not fully crossed the line.

New Zealand defender Finn Surman was initially penalized for a handball in the penalty area in the 23rd minute, but video review overturned the decision after determining his arm was in a natural position.

Belgium finally broke through in the 28th minute when Trossard, amid a scramble in front of goal, lifted the ball onto the crossbar before it bounced over the line.

It was Belgium's first goal scored by one of its own players at this World Cup. The team's goal in the opening 1-1 draw against Egypt came via an own goal. Belgium had not scored through a Belgian player at a World Cup since Michy Batshuayi's goal against Canada in Qatar in 2022.

Trossard doubled the lead early in the second half, converting a rebound that deflected off a New Zealand defender and past goalkeeper Max Crocombe.

De Bruyne effectively put the match out of reach in the 66th minute with a powerful strike from outside the penalty area. He celebrated by making a heart gesture toward the sellout crowd in Vancouver.

The match produced three late goals. Just pulled one back for New Zealand in the 84th minute, but Lukaku restored Belgium's four-goal advantage with a header two minutes later, blowing kisses toward the crowd. Saelemaekers added a fifth goal in stoppage time.

Winger Jérémy Doku returned to the starting lineup after missing Sunday's draw with Iran because of illness. He had also traveled to London for the birth of his son and had trained with the team only once during the previous week.

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made his 18th World Cup appearance for Belgium, surpassing Enzo Scifo for the national record.

New Zealand lost 3-1 to Egypt in Vancouver in its previous match after opening the tournament with a 2-2 draw against Iran.

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