EURO friendly report card: Belgium

Results
Tuesday: Portugal 2-1 Belgium (Nani 20, Ronaldo 40; Romelu Lukaku 62) Courtois; Gillet (J Lukaku 59), Denayer (Boyata 86), Vermaelen, Lombaerts; Nainggolan, Witsel, Fellaini (Dembele 79); Chadli, Mertens (Batshuayi 67), R Lukaku

In a game switched from Brussels to Leiria after last week's events in Belgium, Portugal fielded the same mobile attacking system as in Friday's 1-0 home loss to Bulgaria, but this time there were goals. Cristiano Ronaldo hit the bar on 12 minutes and then Nani made the breakthrough. Ronaldo, who missed a penalty four days earlier, found the net with a header that gave Thibaut Courtois no chance and although injury-hit Belgium reduced the deficit when substitute Jordan Lukaku set up brother Romelu to register, Portugal held on.

Belgium's Axel Witsel tangles with Nani©AFP/Getty Images

What we learned
1) Not always first choice for Marc Wilmots, Romelu Lukaku showed how he is flourishing by scoring against Portugal (brother Jordan providing the assist). In this shape, he is a certain starter up front.

2) Thomas Vermaelen did not sparkle as a left-back, but did well – as expected – in central defence.

3) Despite conceding two, Thibaut Courtois made some great saves again and might be even harder to beat with a more settled defence in front of him.

Questions remain
• How can Belgium's midfield and defence work together more effectively to avoid being overrun, as they were in the first half against Portugal?

• Vincent Kompany, Jan Vertonghen, Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne were all absent: how good would Belgium have been with them?

• Will Wilmots choose to fill his squad with less experienced players who can play in specific positions, or rely on the versatility of older heads to fill gaps?

Room for improvement
Belgium's midfield was overrun in the first half against Portugal, and the team lacked the composure to keep the ball and take the pressure off the defence. Wilmots can only hope the likes of Kompany, Hazard and De Bruyne will be fully fit again in two months' time to bring the extra touch of class and experience the Red Devils lacked in Leiria.

EURO certainties (if fit)
Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea), Simon Mignolet (Liverpool)

Defenders: Nicolas Lombaerts (Zenit), Thomas Vermaelen (Barcelona), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham Hotspur), Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham Hotspur)

Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Axel Witsel (Zenit), Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United), Radja Nainggolan (Roma), Moussa Dembélé (Tottenham Hotspur)

Forwards: Romelu Lukaku (Everton), Dries Mertens (Napoli), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Christian Benteke (Liverpool), Divock Origi (Liverpool)

Media view
Stephan Keygnaert, Het Laatste Nieuws
"The Red Devils were shorn of too much quality [in terms of injured players] to compete with Cristiano [Ronaldo and Nani] – for an hour, they were shaky. When the Portuguese stars headed for the showers,  the Lukaku brothers brought some light in the Belgian darkness. Only those two and Thibaut Courtois impressed, much too small a harvest from this game. The national team coach was obviously improvising in Leiria, but what we saw did not make us happy. Kevin [De Bruyne] and Eden [Hazard], where are you?"