2018 FIFA World Cup Group G Points Table: Belgium Leads Team Standings Ahead of England, Panama and Tunisia

Belgium ensured qualification to the next round with a 5-2 victory over Tunisia in a Group G match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku scored twice for Belgium before Michy Batshuayi bulged the net in the dying seconds of regulation time. Belgium now have six points from two matches and they top the Group G points table. Tunisia have not yet opened their points tally, having lost both the matches they have played so far. They are bottom-placed with England and Panama on second and third respectively.

England and Belgium, are the two star attractions in Group G of the 2018 FIFA World Cup and have Tunisia and debutants Panama for the company in what could be a pretty straightforward group for the two giants to qualify from. Majority of squad members play in the English Premier League and coming from arguably the toughest league in the world, the level of fitness both physically and mentally is quite high. There is a feel-good factor around the English camp while Belgium is being tipped to be the dark horses of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Gareth Southgate knows he must remove the mental block of his young team that has brought the downfall of past English campaigns. They must believe in themselves as there is no dearth of talent. The likes of Marcus Rashford, Raheem Sterling, and Jesse Lingard have had a good solid season with their respective clubs. Jordan Henderson and Eric Dier may not be of the level of Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard but are proven, performers. In defence too, players like Kyle Walker, who has just won an EPL with Manchester City, are present to strengthen the Three Lions squad. FIFA World Cup 2018 Schedule.

The Belgium football team is balanced in every department with a good mix of young and experienced players and many believe they will leapfrog England to top the points table. Romelu Lukaku is in the form of his life and he is being assisted in the attack by the mercurial Eden Hazard and Manchester City’s playmaker Kevin DeBruyne. The Red Devils showed glimpses of their good form in the warm-up games where the beat teams like Egypt and Costa Rica. Concern over the availability of Vincent Kompany and Thomas Vermaelen, both of whom are struggling with injuries, still persists.

2018 FIFA World Cup Group G Points Table

Points Table Updated Till Today's Match.

Panama is playing their first World Cup and while it is an achievement in itself, the North Merican nation know they are not here just to make up the numbers. Defensive colossus Roman Torres, whose goal guaranteed Panama a World Cup spot is one of the six players to have more than 100 caps for Panama. 2018 FIFA World Cup Group G Preview: Schedule Timetable With Match Dates, Venues & Kick-Off Times in IST of Belgium, Panama, Tunisia, and England in Football WC.

The ageing squad's pace was exposed in the warm-up games and is the real worry for Panama who has two sides with raw pace, England and Belgium to contest with. Tunisia is without their most important player, Youssef Msakni, who misses out due to an injury. Wahbi Khazri leads their attack as Tunisia look to win a match for the first time since 1978 at a World Cup.

England and Belgium will not find it difficult to qualify from this group and their major challenge will be to finish top to avoid meeting a strong team in the next round.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 18, 2018 02:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).