World Cup 2018: Belgium vs Panama, 5 Talking Points

#2 Romelu Lukaku bags a brace

Romelu Lukaku had an impressive outing

The Manchester United man is one of the most talked about strikers in world football at the moment. Unfortunately for him though, he tends to split opinions. While he is undeniably a threat in front of goal and tends to score truckloads of goals, the finer arts of subtlety seem to elude the big brawny Belgian.

He has often been ridiculed for his lack of control with his first touch, something vital in the armoury of the modern-day striker, who is the focal point of a lot of the link-up play. As a result, he also fails to retain the ball - to release the pressure of his teammates - when the long ball is punted toward him.

No matter what opinion you chose to hold of him, you cannot deny that he does get the job done, irrespective of the unaesthetic methods he employs to do so.

On the night, he did the job twice, once through a vintage header from inside the six-yard box, and then through a delicate chip over the keeper after being played in by Eden Hazard. A little something for the critics who doubted whether he possesses the deftness of touch to play for a top-quality side.