This Saturday, Belgium will host Kazakhstan at Lotto Park in Brussels as part of the sixth round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. There are strong reasons to expect a high-scoring match.
Match preview
Belgium arrives with an impressive streak of 31 consecutive unbeaten games in World Cup qualifiers. In their last match, they dominated Liechtenstein, securing a 6-0 win that highlighted their attacking strength. Even without Lukaku, the team continues to perform at a high level and is expected to deliver another strong performance.
Playing at home, Belgium has won their last seven qualifiers in regulation time. They particularly excel in the second half, scoring in 14 of their last 15 home qualifiers. With De Bruyne controlling the midfield and Doku causing problems on the wings, the team’s potential remains significant.
Kazakhstan, on the other hand, is fighting to stay competitive in this qualifying round. In their latest match, they lost 0-1 to Wales, marking their sixth defeat in the last seven qualifiers. Their attack is underperforming, having scored just twice in seven matches, and defensive mistakes are common.
When playing away, Kazakhstan struggles, with no wins in 15 of their last 16 World Cup qualifiers. However, they generally adopt an attacking strategy, even on the road. Attackers like Maksim Samorodov and midfielder Anton Koyashev may try to apply some pressure, but the disparity in quality is clear.
Probable line-ups
- Belgium: Courtois; Meunier, Theate, Debast, De Kuyper; Fofana, Tielemans, De Bruyne, Vanaken, Doku; Openda
- Kazakhstan: Anarbekov; Kairov, Alip, Kasym, Malyi, Vorogovskiy; Satpayev, Kasabulat, Orazov, Kenzhebek; Samorodov
Match facts and head-to-head
- Belgium is unbeaten in their last 31 World Cup qualifiers.
- Kazakhstan has lost 12 of their last 16 away qualifiers.
- Belgium has scored at least three goals in seven straight home World Cup qualifiers.
Prediction
While Belgium has the upper hand, a defensive match is unlikely. Garcia’s team plays an aggressive, high-scoring style at home, and Kazakhstan has become more adventurous in their attack, even though their defense shows weaknesses.
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