Finland vs Belgium summary: score, goals, highlights, Euro 2020
That wraps up our coverage for today at Euro 2020. Back tomorrow for more as England take on the Czech Republic and Scotland face Croatia. Thanks for joining us!
Here's how Group B finishes. Denmark, Finland and Russia all with one win and three points each. But the Danes go through on goal difference.
GAME OVER!
The ref calls time and Belgium join Italy and Holland by going through with a 100% record. Denmark take second spot after an emphatic 4-1 win over Russia.
"Belgium’s defence gives them a bit of a glass jaw, but only France and Portugal can match their talent in attack. Awesome to watch when they click," says Liam Twomey on Twitter.
Three minutes of added time to be played.
Hard to believe that Belgium have not beaten Finland since 1968! Finland have won four of the last seven meetings between the sides, drawing three. That 53-year unbeaten record looks set to end in the next few minutes.
Hazard shoots! A shot from the left corner edge of the box sails high and wide of the far post.
BELGIUM HAVE THEIR SECOND GOAL!
Lukaku finds the net again and there is no doubt about its validity this time. The Inter forward collects the ball by the penalty spot with back to goal, turns the defender and slots the ball into the right corner. That's his third of the competition after his brace against Russia. And that's Finland out of the competition unless they can get two back in the final 10 munutes.
1-0 here and 2-1 to Denmark against Russia in the other game. As things stand, Belgium and Denmark go through.
GOAL BELGIUM!
Vermaelen gets his head on the end of the corner delivery, the ball smacks the post and hits goalkeeper Hradecky on the shoulder as it rebounded off the woodwork. Hradecky tries to scoop the ball out but it's clearly gone over the line. A strange goal that will go down as an OG for the Finnish number 1.
Second and third change for Finland: Uronen and Pohjanpalo go off, as Alho and Kauko come on.
VAR rules out Lukaku goal! De Bruyne finds the Inter striker positioned between the two central defenders. Lukaku takes one touch to turn and then places the ball in the corner. But VAR calls the very, very marginal offside and the goal is annulled.
Hazard! Another chance falls to the Real Madrid man as Witsel squares a pass to him the box. Hazard skips around one challenge before he laces a shot at Hradecky from close range.
First shot on target for Finland! Pukki collects the ball just inside the left edge of the box, passes to Pohjanpalo, who tees up Kamara. It's a decent effort but not decent enough to trouble Courtois, who has been a spectator for this game.
Finland caught sleeping as De Bruyne plays a quick corner kick into the box to an unmarked Eden Hazard, whose first-time shot is saved by Hradecky.
Witsel latches on to a rebounded strike before teeing up Chadli, who drives his shot low and on target but straight into the hands of Hradecky, who drops to his knees to collect.
Chadli plays a cross towards Lukaku, but it goes high over his head and Uronen clears the ball for a corner. Belgium do nothing with the corner.
Hazard fends off a challenge before teeing up center back Denayer, who is in a very advanced position just outside the box. But his shot is what you would expect from a central defender, high and wide of the target.
Second half starts!
FInland get the second half underway with both of these sides going through as the scores stand in group B. Denmark lead Russia 1-0 in the other fixture.
Teams back on the field
The teams are back on the pitch for the second half. No changes for either side it seems.
England talk during half time of Finland-Belgium on British TV is not going down well with some. England play Czech Republic tomorrow.
"No way Finland are at 41% possession," says, ehm, Eden Hazard on Twitter. That does seem like a debatable statistic.
It's 0-0 here and 1-0 to Denmark against Russia. So as things stand, Belgium and Finland will go through with seven and four points, respectively.
First half ends!
Peep, peep! The ref calls time on what has been a rather uneventful first half. As expected, Belgium have been the better side. But the Red Devils first shot on target did not come until 37' through Lukaku.
Hazard is taken down by O'Shaughnessy in the box, drawing protest from the Belgian contingent in the stands, who believe that should have been a penalty. Not much of a check from VAR it seems, if any. The game goes on.
Doku comes close! The young striker collects the ball on the left, cuts inside the defender before firing a rocket that forces Hradecky to punt the ball out for corner to stop it landing in the far bottom corner of his net. Great play from the 19-year-old Rennes forward, who's playing his first-ever Euro game tonight. He's been a bright spark for the Red Devils.
Lukaku! Great ball into the box from De Bruyne, Lukaku gets a head to it and Hradecky does well to save. First shot on target for Belgium.
Belgium's Trossard does well under pressure to get himself into a shooting position just outside the box, but he also drives the ball over the bar like Witsel moments before him.
Hazard dribbles into the box, squares to Lukaku, who passes the ball backwards to tee up Witzel. But the Belgian midfielder drives his shot well over.
Great cross from the right played into the box for Lukaku, who is about seven yards out, but he seems to have taken his eye off the ball as it flies past him. The pass was pinpoint accurate. Poor from Lukaku.
Lovely play from De Bruyne, as the Man City midfielder bursts into the box, beating three defenders, before cutting the ball back inside towards the six-yard area. Nobody there except Finnish defender Arajuuri, who almost unintentionally steers the ball into his own goal. Hradecky saves the danger.
First casualty of the night is Toivio of Finland, who's felt the brunt of a heavy Lukaku challenge. He's back on his feet quick enough as Finland win the free kick. Moments later with Belgium back in possession Lukaku almost plays Hazard in on goal but the ball is cut out, much to the audible relief of the Finnish fans in the stands.
Lukaku shoots! The Belgian striker drags his low-shot wide of the far post from 10 yards out on the left side of the box.
De Bruyne tries a cross with the side of his right foot on the right, which ends up going goal bound. Hradecky collects the unintentional shot with ease.
First Finland offensive threat comes through striker Pukki, who is dispossessed before he could get his shot off just inside the box.
Subdued opening 10 minutes in Russia, hopefully this will liven up soon.
Belgium's first venture into the Finnish box comes as De Bruyne plays a ball over the top towards Euro debutant striker Doku, but the 19-year-old fails to control the ball. Wasn't the easiest to deal with to be fair.
"Finland have a defender called Daniel O'Shaughnessy and that's the closest I'll get to seeing Ireland in Euro 2020," says one Republic of Ireland fan.
Belgium applying some early pressure and looking for a way through the Finnish defence. Finland finally recover and regroup.
Match underway!
Peep! Belgium, playing in red, kick things off in St. Petersburg. Finland are in their first-choice white. A few boos can be heard as the Belgian players take the knee.
The Finnish anthem rings around the stadium. Here it is in English for fans of medieval poetry...
Our land, our land, our fatherland,
Sound loud, O name of worth!
No mount that meets the heaven’s band.
No hidden vale, no wavewashed strand.
Is loved, as is our native North. Our own forefathers’ earth.
Thy blossom, in the bud laid low,
Yet ripened shall upspring.
See! From our love once more shall grow
Thy light, thy joy, thy hope, thy glow!
And clearer yet one day shall ring The song our land shall sing.
Teams on the field
The teams are on the field and lining out for the national anthems. Belgium up first. The players have hands on heart.
Will good luck charm Bubi the eagle owl make an appearence for Finland in Saint Petersburg this evening? They may need more than an owl to stop Lukaku, De Bruyne and Co.
Belgium's record against Finland surprising
Belgium's last win over Finland was as far back as 1964 in a World Cup qualifier. Since then, they have failed to beat the Scandinavians in their last seven meetings (D3 L4). The last meeting between the two, a friendly in June 2016, ended 1-1.
With 62 goals in 95 international appearances, Romelu Lukaku is Belgium's all-time highest goalscorer. He got two against Russia in the Red Devil's opening game and will be hungry to add to his tally against Finland after failing to score in the 2-1 win over Denmark in Game 2.
Finland goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky will have his work cut out against one of the most potent attacking forces international football with De Bruyne, Eden Hazard and Lukaku all starting.
Trossard and Doku make debuts for Belgium
As Roberto Martinez rings in the changes for this last group game with his side already through, 19-year-old Rennes forward Jeremy Doku and Brighton winger Leandro Trossard will get their first minutes in the competition...
Group C set: Holland, Austria go through
Over in Group C, Holland have finished top of the group with 9 points after their win against North Macedonia, while Austria took the second spot following their victory over Ukraine.
Finland name a strong side
Starting XI: Hradecky, Uronen, O'Shaughessy, Arajuuri, Toivio, Raitala, Kamara, Sparv, Lod, Pukki, Pohjanpalo
Belgium team sheet is in
Starting XI: Courtois, Vermaelen, Denayer, Boyata, Chadli, Witsel, De Bruyne, Trossard, E. Hazard (c), Doku Lukaku.
Eden Hazard captains a changed Belgian side as Roberto Martinez rests several players.
Whatever happens today in both Group B games, Belgium are going through, with the Red Devils looking to join Italy and Holland by getting through their group with a 100% record and maximum 9 points. With three points from their opening day win against Denmark, one point could be enough to send Finland through to the knockouts.
Welcome!
Hello and welcome to the start of our live coverage of the Euro 2020 Group B clash between Finland and Belgium, the match gets underway in one hour at 3pm ET, so stay with us as we build up to kick off.