Belgium overwhelm ten-man Kazakhstan

Belgium maintained their hopes of taking the play-off place in Group A after breezing to a 4-1 UEFA EURO 2012 victory against Kazakhstan in Brussels.

Timmy Simons put them ahead from the spot and Eden Hazard made it 2-0 within minutes, with Vincent Kompany scoring again from a corner early in the second half. Nurtas Kurgulin's dismissal further tilted the game against Kazakhstan, and Marvin Ogunjimi scored again for Belgium before Kairat Nurdauletov's penalty gave the visitors some consolation. Belgium are now second in Group A but must win in Germany on Tuesday to be sure of a play-off place.

The match began to go badly for Kazakhstan once captain Andrei Karpovich was penalised for a foul on Axel Witsel in the box. Simons converted from the spot on 40 minutes, and his side went in at the break two goals to the good after Hazard beat Vladimir Loginovskiy following a one-two with Dries Mertens. Kompany then got the final touch on 49 minutes as Belgium's goal rush continued into the second half.

Kurgulin's foul on Mertens earned him a straight red card, and substitute Ogunjimi took the credit for Belgium's fourth, though Kazakhstan's Vitali Yevstigneev also got a touch. Laurent Ciman's challenge on Sergei Ostapenko prompted the second penalty of the game four minutes from the end, with Nurdauletov converting.