Michy Batshuayi, with his first touch as a substitute, Hazard and Yannick Carrasco scored in the last 12 minutes to wrap up a well-deserved win in what was the final Euro 2016 match in Toulouse.
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After a bad first half, where they were trailing 0-1, Didier Deschamps’ men came reenergised in the second half where they scored two goals.
Belgium put on a sensational performance as they put 4 goals past the helpless Hungarians to secure a spot in the quarter-finals of the European Championships.
In Sunday’s other game, an Eden Hazard-inspired Belgium crushed Hungary’s hopes of qualifying to the quarter-finals with a 4-0 rout. “I hit the ball well and am glad it went in”.
Hazard struck moments later as he glided past two Hungary defenders before slotting past Kiraly.
World Cup holders Germany never looked troubled by a Slovakia side which had beaten them 3-1 in a recent friendly and held England to a goalless draw.
“However, we have seen in the past few days that there is no easy match, so you have to be wary of everyone”.
After some disjointed performances in the group stages and heavy criticism, Belgium’s display suggested their highly talented squad can be a coherent force in the tournament.
Nearly from kick-off, Kiraly was kept busy as Romelu Lukaku, then De Bruyne, after Hazard’s superb delivery, tested the goalkeeper. “We have shown some kind of progress to some extent, but we can circulate the ball better and play a linked-up football”.
Belgium coach Marc Wilmots hailed the impact of De Bruyne, whom he had criticised after the defeat to Italy.
After Belgium spurned a host of chances in the opening half, they responded to a brief Hungary fightback after the interval in style.
They soaked up more pressure from the Belgians before Adam Pinter caused Courtois problems with a shot from outside the area that took a deflection off a defender and forced a fingertip save from the Chelsea keeper on 66 minutes.
“In the first half I was disappointed because we conceded from a set piece and weren’t as compact as we needed to be”, the Hungary manager said.
“That’s why I took him off”, Wilmots said.
Belgium’s coach Marc Wilmots gestures next to Hungary’s coach Bernd Storck, right, during the Euro 2016 round of 16 soccer match between Hungary and Belgium, at the Stadium municipal in Toulouse, France, Sunday, June 26, 2016.
“He doesn’t say a lot, but when he does speak, everyone listens to him because we all respect his quality and what he has done in his career up to now”.
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“They can leave this Euro with their heads held high”.
