Belgium finally put in a display worthy of their top ten world ranking, hammering New Zealand 5-1 to assure their progress to the last 32. 

Meanwhile, Egypt’s draw with Iran is enough to see them progress, and it may be enough for Iran too, depending on results elsewhere on Saturday. 

Iran almost won it outright, were it not for a VAR intervention to rule a stoppage-time goal as offside and ruin the party. 

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New Zealand 1 - 5 Belgium 

In a game that both sides needed to win, it was Belgium that emerged victorious by a considerable margin to book their slot in the last 32. 

Perhaps motivated by the extensive, yet fair, criticism of their lacklustre performances in this year’s competition to date, Belgium attacked the game from the off and looked the most likely to score from the outset. 

The breakthrough came from Leandro Trossard’s 28th minute goal, as a Kevin de Bruyne corner bounced loose off a New Zealand defender for the Belgian hitman to drive home. Multiple more chances appeared in the first half, but Belgium couldn’t convert. 

And then in the second half, it became a rout, starting in the 66th minute when a renewed Kevin de Bruyne hit the mark from 20 yards. Elijah Just scored his third goal of the tournament to pull one back for New Zealand, but Belgium were soon out of sight. 

Romelu Lukaku once again came off the bench to threaten instantly, and scored less than a minute after his arrival with a smart header. Alexis Saelemaekers finished the business for Belgium by adding a fifth in stoppage time.

The result, combined with the other result in the group, means Belgium top Group G on goal difference and should get a more favourable last-32 tie against a third placed team.

New Zealand are out.

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Egypt 1 - 1 Iran

In a game characterised by two early goals and late drama, Egypt assured themselves of a place in the last 32, while Iran will have to wait to see what happens later on Saturday. 

Iran had both a goal ruled for offside and clattered one off the crossbar as they desperately sought the winner that would guarantee their progress in the final moments of the game. 

Egypt got things off to a flyer in this one with a fifth minute goal courtesy of Mahmoud Saber. But knowing the significance of a defeat, Iran fought back immediately and won a penalty just four minutes later, which was poorly telegraphed by Mehdi Taremi and saved. 

But Iran were not down and out, with Ramin Rezaeian impressively slotting home from a very tight angle to equalise in the 15th minute. 

With those two goals, and high stakes in the match, it looked like we’d see the game explode into a back and forth attacking battle. But despite both sides knocking on the door, it took until injury time for the game to truly burst back into life. 

In the 93rd minute Khalilzadeh bundled the ball in for a dramatic winner after a free kick scramble, causing the Iranians to erupt with joy and for Khalilzadeh to bust out a pair of “deal with it” meme shades during the celebration, something he was later booked for. 

But VAR was there to ruin the fun, declaring a hugely tight offside that looked onside at first glance, made more complicated by the goalkeeper’s position ahead of his own defenders. Replays showed Khalilzadeh was indeed ahead of all but one of Egypt’s players and the offside stood. Get the shades off, son.

Egypt will go through as the second placed team in Group G, while Iran need one of the following outcomes: a win for Algeria or Austria, Uzbekistan to secure at least a draw but not win by more than 7 goals, or for Croatia to lose to Ghana in Group L. 

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Final table: