Belgium routs New Zealand 5-1 at BC Place in World Cup
Kevin De Bruyne scored in front of 52,497 fans as Belgium topped Group G. The match was Vancouver's fifth World Cup fixture.
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Belgium advanced to the round of 32 with a dominant 5-1 victory over New Zealand on June 27 at BC Place, moving from third to first place in Group G while eliminating New Zealand from the tournament.
The match drew 52,497 fans to the stadium, marking the fifth consecutive sellout at BC Place during the FIFA World Cup. Kevin De Bruyne, who scored in the game, praised the venue after the match. "I have to say it was a really nice stadium to play in. Feels like a real, for me, football stadium," the Manchester City star and current Napoli player said. He noted the difference from the other two stadiums Belgium played in — Los Angeles's SoFi Stadium and Seattle's Lumen Field — which had an "NFL feeling."
Vancouver will host two knockout-round matches, beginning with a round of 32 fixture on July 2.