Share this @internewscast.com
Sweden 0-3 Belgium: Clinical Romelu Lukaku scores a hat-trick to give Domenico Tedesco the perfect start as Zlatan Ibrahimovic fails to make an impact on his return
- Romelu Lukaku scores hat-trick to give Domenico Tedesco’s reign perfect start
- Belgium beat Sweden in Stockholm in opening qualification campaign game
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic makes Sweden return though fails to make an impact
Romelu Lukaku buried his World Cup hatchet with a brilliant hat-trick against Sweden on Friday night.
Domenico Tedesco saw his Belgium reign get off to the perfect start having taken over from Roberto Martinez earlier this year as they demolished Sweden in Stockholm.
Lukaku put in the kind of display that led many to rank him among the best centre-forwards in the world just 18 or months ago, but injuries and a lack of fitness have combined to see his status among the world’s best fall off a cliff.
He has endured a difficult season on-loan at Inter Milan, but here appeared back to his irresistible best, showing speed and intelligence to bully the Sweden defenders.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who could face Lukaku in the semi-finals of the Champions League in May, by contrast found it difficult to get into the game having been introduced in place of Newcastle’s Alexander Isak.
More follows.
Romelu Lukaku put himself on the path to redemption with Belgium with a clinical hat-trick
The centre-forward endured a tough time in Qatar but was back playing with a smile on his face for the national side
Zlatan Ibrahimovic made his Sweden return – though it did not prove to be a triumphant one
