Brussels (AFP)

A good home atmosphere, many goals and the primacy of qualifying for the Euro-2020: Belgium, which beat San Marino 9-0, had a great evening Thursday in Brussels.

Ultrafavoris against the last nation of the Fifa ranking, strong leaders of their group with a perfect record (18 points in six games), the Red Devils could not miss.

In a press conference Wednesday, the coach Roberto Martinez cautioned them however: be careful not to take the qualification for "acquired".

Message received by the 1st world team, who started the match on the floor, confiscating the ball to the players of San Marino.

Efficient in the construction, the Belgians have sinned at the finish in the first half-hour, like this head Romelu Lukaku on the crossbar (17th) or this clever one-two between Hazard and Chadli, concluded by a shot a little too high (20th).

The visitors' defense finally gave way in the 28th minute, with Romelu Lukaku's powerful low-level shot.

Cracked by the 50th goal of the Belgian under the shirt of the Red Devils, the dike erected by the men of Franco Varrella completely exploded in the quarter of an hour following.

Chadli's victorious strike at the 20-meter (31 '), Romelu Lukaku's cross-shot deflected by the opposing defense (35), before a doubling of the same Lukaku (41), a new goal against his side (43) and a last from Tielemans (45th + 1) to conclude the red break ... at halftime, the Belgian ticket for the Euro had only to be punched.

- Contract filled -

The second period was the same, but the Devils' assault came up against the heroic resistance of Simone Benedettini, the San Marino goalkeeper.

Benteke (79), Verschaeren on penalty (84) and Castagne (90) were nevertheless charged to make the addition worse.

At the final whistle, the contract is fulfilled for the Belgians, who are the first to validate their ticket for the Euro-2020 when three matches remain to be played.

Qualified for the first time in front of their public, the Belgians will play next year their 4th international competition of rank.

And by then? "What matters is to finish first in the group," said Wednesday Roberto Martinez.

With three points behind the Red Devils, thanks to its wide victory against Scotland (4-0), Russia remains threatening, especially as the two countries are still fighting on November 16 in St. Petersburg.

But before that, the Belgians have even more rendezvous to the east, for a trip to Kazakhstan on Sunday.

© 2019 AFP