Belgium just too good as England fail to reach finals

BELGIUM 2

Tielemans 10, Mertens 23

ENGLAND 0

England' s Nations League ambitions were extinguished in Belgium as the world's topranked team punished Gareth Southgate's side in last night's crunch group clash.

South gate' s absentee-hit team could not find a way past the Belgians, with Youri Tielemans' deflected strike and a fine Dries Mer tens free -kick seeing the hosts run out 2- 0 victors.

The defeat ends England's hop es of reaching a second successive Nations League final sand means Wed n esday's final Group A2 match against relegated Iceland will only offer the chance to finetune ahead of next summer’s rearranged Euro 2020 finals.

South gate was without Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rash ford in attack and the likes of Harry Maguire, Joe Gomez and Conor Coady at the back at Den Dreef, where England could not quite get to grips with Belgium.

The hosts ruthlessly exploited lax play when Leicester's Tielemans scored in the 10th minute and they extended their lead after Rome lu Lukaku's goal-line clearance stopped Harry Kane capping his 50 th appearance with a goal.

Declan Rice was adjudged to have fouled Kevin De Bruyne and M er tens bent home superbly as England went into half-time facing a two-goal deficit for the first time since August 2009.

South gate' s men penned Belgium back in the second half as Jack Grealish shone on his first competitive start, but the home side held firm to win Roberto Martinez's 50th match in charge.

England, who wore black armbands in Leuven following the death of former goalkeeper Ray Clemence yesterday at the age of 72, failed to heed S outhgate's pre -match demand to be switched on from the outset.

They went behind when Jan Vertonghen got ahead of Mason Mount to intercept a pass by Eric Dier. The ball was moved on quickly and Tielemans got away a shot that Jordan Pickford could only tip onto the inside of the post following a slight deflection off Tyrone Mings.

England responded well to Belgium's 10th-minute opener. Grealish was thwarted when meeting a cross from Kieran Trippier, whose resulting corner was met by a Kane header bound for the net until Lukaku cleared off the line.

But their uphill battle was to steep en when Rice was adjudged to have fouled De Bruyn ea she attempted to take a shot.

The Belgium star stood over the tantalisingly-placed freekick, but it was Mertens that swept into bend a superb right-footed effort over the wall and into the top left-hand corner midway through the first half.