New Zealand vs Belgium Half-Time Thoughts: Leandro Trossard The Difference Maker

Belgium enter the half-time break 1-0 up over New Zealand, as the Red Devils currently sit second in Group G with five points.

In what was a must-win game for New Zealand, they now need two goals to stand any chance of making it to the knockouts.

Rudi Garcia's men showed an intensity in the first half that hadn't been seen in the first two games of their World Cup campaign, with Kevin De Bruyne in particular looking impressive.

Leandro Trossard has been a major threat, having a couple of chances to put the Red Devils ahead. His best came just after the ten-minute mark when a low shot from a tight angle hit the inside of the post, with the New Zealand defence scrambling to clear the ball as it rolled along the goal-line.

Just before the hydration break, Belgium thought they had a penalty when Trossard's effort hit the arm of New Zealand's Finn Surman, but after being sent to the monitor, the referee overturned his original decision, ruling that the defender's arm was in a natural position.

The Arsenal forward finally got what his first-half performance deserved when a De Bruyne corner just after the hydration break was very poorly defended, with the 31-year-old being quickest to react, and finished from close range.

After missing Belgium's 0-0 draw with Iran through a respiratory problem, Jeremy Doku has been a little off the pace. Despite starting on the right wing, the Manchester City winger and Trossard occasionally switched sides to keep the New Zealand defence guessing.

With the threat Doku does possess however, New Zealand have been doubling up on him, freeing up space for the rest of Belgium's forward line.

As Belgium looked for a second goal before the half-time break, De Bruyne blazed an effort from inside the box over, before Crocombe made a good stop to deny Charles de Ketelaere.