Hungary 0-4 Belgium
- Published
Eden Hazard scored a dazzling solo goal as Belgium defeated Hungary to book a Euro 2016 last-eight tie against Wales.
The Chelsea winger was outstanding in Toulouse and capped off a good Belgium display when he cut in from the left, beat two players and fired in low.
Tottenham's Toby Alderweireld headed Belgium ahead and Michu Batshuayi made it 2-0 when he tapped in.
Hazard then scored his superb goal in the 80th minute before Yannick Carrasco fired in the fourth in stoppage time.
Belgium and Wales will meet in Lille on Friday.
Relive the action as it happened in Toulouse
The 'golden generation' make it count
Kevin De Bruyne had 78 touches of the ball - more than any other player - and also had the most efforts on goal
They underwhelmed at the 2014 World Cup, but the most promising Belgium squad since Guy Thys' 1980 runners-up suggested they could be set to fulfil their potential on the big stage.
At times, they made hard work of it against the Magyars, but they did create 25 efforts on goal.
Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne had seven of those, including a brilliant first-half free-kick that was tipped over by 40-year-old Gabor Kiraly. The 24-year-old also provided two of the four assists.
Both he and Hazard were the most potent weapons, with Everton striker Romelu Lukaku failing to marry willingness with goal threat.
It was Spurs defender Alderweireld who gave the Belgians a 10th-minute lead when he headed in De Bruyne's free-kick from the left.
After soaking up Hungarian pressure, they finally scored a second when Batshuayi slotted in Hazard's square ball, only two minutes after coming on.
Hazard made it 3-0 with the goal of the game. Belgium broke from the Hungary area, De Bruyne played a pass to the feet of Hazard who dived in from the left, eased past two challenges before slotting into the keeper's bottom left.
By this point, Hungary had given up the fight and were handed a knockout blow when Atletico Madrid's Carrasco, on as a substitute, slammed in from a Radja Nainggolan through ball.
Warning: Hazard in form
Euro 2016: Eden Hazard scores Belgium's third goal against Hungary
The 2014-15 Premier League footballer of the year was a disappointment last season.
He only managed six goals in 50 appearances for a Chelsea side who went from champions to finishing 10th.
However, towards the end of that campaign he began to show glimpses of the form of the previous season and against Hungary he gave right-back Adam Lang a full workout.
Aside from his goal and assist, he made the joint second-highest number of passes (48) and had three efforts on goal.
Belgium coach Marc Wilmots said: "I told Eden that I wanted to score a goal by cutting inside.
"He wasn't close enough to the goal and he needs to have fun when he's out on the pitch. A captain can't always do his talking with his mouth. Sometimes you have to do your talking with your feet and that's what he did today."
BBC analyst Trevor Sinclair added: "It was an absolutely outstanding, world-class performance. He's the man of the match - that was the performance of the tournament. He has led by example."
Unlucky Hungary
Coach Bernd Stock's side can be proud of their efforts in what was Hungary's first major tournament since the 1986 World Cup finals.
They were a clear second best to Belgium in the first half, but improved markedly after the break and went close through Adam Szalai's header and centre-back Roland Juhasz's beautiful angled strike with the outside of his boot.
Had they converted one of those chances, then the outcome might have been very different.
Man of the match - Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium)
Eden Hazard was brilliant but Kevin De Bruyne led the attack from kick off and provided two assists
'I have to congratulate Belgium'
Belgium coach Marc Wilmots: "We should have been at least 3-0 up at half-time. We kept the game at 1-0 too long.
"We scored the second and third goals very quickly, but we needed a lot of chances. In big games you don't get as many chances, you get punished.
"I told my players to be patient. Often in training, we do two-touch passing. In Brazil you asked me why and today you see why. You can move the ball very quickly.
"I have to say Kevin De Bruyne, every time he lost the ball he made the effort to come back and that's what makes the side strong. When we don't have the ball we don't allow many chances."
Hungary boss Bernd Storck: "We knew we were coming up against terrific opposition.
"I have to congratulate the team for their performance throughout the championships. We have a positive view of the future."
- Published23 June 2016
