Dutch delight as they put four past Belgium

Belgium 1-4 The Netherlands

Memphis Depay was at the double as the Netherlands thrashed Belgium 4-1 to start their UEFA Nations League campaign in style.

The Barcelona striker was in devastating form and was joined by Steven Bergwijn and Denzel Dumfries on the scoresheet as the Dutch ran out emphatic winners in the first competitive meeting between the nations since the 1998 World Cup.

Belgium started strongly and could have been ahead but for the crossbar as Timothy Castagne went agonisingly close – but the momentum shifted when Romelu Lukaku was forced off with injury, with the visitors taking control.

Simon Mignolet came to Belgium’s rescue to repel Steven Berghuis. Chances kept coming amid a few jeers from the home supporters, but the Netherlands’ radar was slightly off with Danny Blind also curling just wide.

That was until Bergwijn found the space for a shot a few minutes before half-time. After controlling Frenkie De Jong’s pass, he unleashed a fierce drive into the bottom corner beyond Mignolet to break the deadlock.

Roberto Martinez handed Eden Hazard his first competitive start of any kind in five months and also gave the Real Madrid star the captain’s armband, but he was hooked off at half-time after a below-par performance.

The change failed to prompt an improvement in the initial stages of the second half as just five minutes later Depay doubled the Netherlands’ advantage with a right-footed shot.

Leandro Trossard had a great chance to halve the deficit moments before Dumfries got in on the act, tapping home from Blind’s cross, and the rout was complete thanks to another clinical finish from Depay, as the unhappy home support became increasingly vocal.

Belgium’s pain was compounded as Castagne had a goal chalked off for offside and Dries Mertens crashed another shot off the post, before Michy Batsuayi grabbed an injury-time consolation.

It was a huge win for the Netherlands in the opening game of what could be a very competitive group which also includes Poland and Wales.