Lukaku rescues Belgium with late equailser

Lyndon Lloyd Saturday, 25 March, 2017 23comments | Jump to most recent

Romelu Lukaku saved his country from a home defeat to Greece this evening with a goal in the 89th minute.

With Belgium trailing to Kostas Mitroglou's goal in the World Cup qualifier but with a man advantage following Panagiotis Tachtsidis' sending off, manager Roberto Martinez had thrown Lukaku's Everton club-mate Kevin Mirallas on.

But it was the prolific 23-year-old who levelled the match late on, chesting the ball down and swivelling instinctively to fire inside the near post to make it 1-1.

It was his 28th goal in 31 games for club and country and further evidence to support his burgeoning self-confidence.

Greece would finish the match with nine men when Giorgos Tzavelas was also dismissed in stoppage time after Stefanos Kapino had denied Lukaku a winner.

Reader Comments (23)

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Will Mabon
1 Posted 25/03/2017 at 23:02:07

= +1 million onto exit fee.

Ed Smith
2 Posted 25/03/2017 at 23:03:38

Fantastic finish, one or two like that next Saturday please.

James Flynn
3 Posted 25/03/2017 at 23:47:41

Just watched the goal.

Defender hanging on him, no less.

Please Moshiri, keep this guy.

John Francis
4 Posted 25/03/2017 at 23:56:25

Our former idiot's star glows dimmer in the Belgian sky.

Mick Davies
5 Posted 26/03/2017 at 02:09:51

Don't give a shit, as long as him and Kev come back injury free

Paul Birmingham
6 Posted 26/03/2017 at 02:23:23

Let's stay calm and see which of our players return safe, injury free, and then we can assess with hope the next game.

Brown Shoes is trying to be important, let's see how long the Belgium FA Take the Brown Shoes Bullshit – ever but interesting times as ever in Belgium.

They talk a great game!

Mick Davies
7 Posted 26/03/2017 at 04:24:26

Oh, and he and his 'superior' Belgian team mates took until the last minute to rescue a point against 10-man 'mighty' Greece!

Brian Porter
8 Posted 26/03/2017 at 06:56:41

The media are already talking as if Rom leaving is a done deal. I really hope Moshiri puts his foot down and tells him he's going nowhere.

The value in him staying another year should far outweigh what we might lose if we hold him to his contract, and if he is as good as he thinks he is, let him prove it by helping the club that has really 'made' him, into the promised land he seeks next year, instead of him looking elsewhere in a team where other players' efforts have secured Champions League qualification, so he can jump on someone else's bandwagon.

Alternatively, he may then find his dream with us, or end up at a club who exit the Champions League early while we go on to greater things. Be very careful Rom. Historically, Rooney aside, not that many players who have left us in big-money deals have been ultimately successful.

Peter Barry
9 Posted 26/03/2017 at 07:38:48

I see the 'Old Brown' shoes effect is starting to bear fruit for Belgium.

Mark Morrissey
10 Posted 26/03/2017 at 11:31:32

Interesting comment from Lukaku when he was talking about Seamus after the Belgium game.

He said, "We will all be there for him when he comes back to Finch Farm, we are always going to be there for him 100%" – and smirks the smallest of smiles. Is that him saying or hinting that he is himself is staying with Everton? Have I looked too deeply into that comment?

Not that I'm overly concerned. I did say I wouldn't comment further on his future but that comment intrigued me.

Brian Harrison
11 Posted 26/03/2017 at 11:51:44

Look, we all hope Lukaku stays but, in his numerous interviews in the last couple of weeks, he has had the opportunity to kill the speculation about him leaving. The fact that he has suggested quite the opposite seems to suggest to me that he just stops short of asking for a transfer.

But, while the speculation about Lukaku has been going on, surely a more pressing matter is Barkley's contract negotiations. We have had no comment from Barkley or his agent and, as Koeman has said, if he doesn't commit to Everton, then he will be sold this summer.

At least with Lukaku, Everton can play hard ball... but, with Barkley, the matter is far more urgent.

David Tennant
12 Posted 26/03/2017 at 12:42:22

Lukaku has mentally already left. Let's accept it and plan.

We also need to secure Barkley!

Anto Byrne
13 Posted 26/03/2017 at 15:09:42

Back to Chelsea for a reputed £80 mil.

Let's not forget that Everton is a form team and doing well. I'm sure, once he goes into a dry spell, the lead foot will return and he won't be worth 10 bob.

If the player is under contract for two more seasons, why would we sell? Not like we are totally skint and in 2 years, he can go wherever he wants. We should be winning stuff by then anyway... League Cup, FA Cup, Europa League...

Paul Birmingham
14 Posted 26/03/2017 at 21:36:45

Great goal... let's hope he does EFC proud on Saturday. EFC comes first and always will, so focusing on the next games and the media hype and circus can maintain their guessing games.

Let's wait and see what happens at the end of the season. Moshiri is shrewd and will have his own game plan for the club once the season is over.

Everton hopefully progress plans off the field and the new stadium project and Koeman, Moshiri and the board will maintain the positive momentum with the squad.

Benny Snow
15 Posted 27/03/2017 at 02:56:32

If he wants to go let him, I'd take $60 mil and Michy Batshuayi if he is off to Chelsea. If not, then $80 mil cash.

Kieran Fitzgerald
16 Posted 27/03/2017 at 07:29:53

£80m, good price if he is going. Pay for the land for the new stadium and a new striker.

Martin Nicholls
17 Posted 27/03/2017 at 08:24:22

㿼 million a good price for Premier League top scorer? You've got to be joking â€“ Spurs are allegedly demanding 㿞 million for full back Danny fucking Rose! Would they think

㿼 million a good price, or even consider bids of that for Kane? No, thought not!

Stan Schofield
18 Posted 27/03/2017 at 10:21:39

£60M, or thereabouts, for someone like Lukaku? Good job some of you guys are not running Everton.

Peter Barry
20 Posted 27/03/2017 at 13:09:38

The 'Old Brown shoes' influence being see for Belgium now

James Marshall
21 Posted 27/03/2017 at 20:42:27

Reports suggesting Batshuayi plus 㿔m – seems like a decent deal to me when you consider they paid 㿍m for Batshuayi and it isn't going to be easy to find a replacement.

Brian Porter
22 Posted 28/03/2017 at 06:10:48

Just watched an interview in which Andy Townshend talks a great deal of sense. In his words, we hold all the aces and if we want to be a big club we should play hardball with Rom and tell him he can do what he wants in two years time, but until then we expect 25 goals a season from him.

We shouldn't be dictated to by any player and it should be up to us if we then choose to let him go in his last year. If we are serious about joining the top table, we should be keeping Rom whether he likes it or not.

Dan Egerton
23 Posted 31/03/2017 at 04:06:54

If Romelu Lukaku thinks he's a Champions league player, than how come he has only scored 3 goals this year against top 6 teams? 18 of his 21 have come against teams well below the top four!

Gary Russell
24 Posted 31/03/2017 at 05:23:17

What a player is worth is subjective. It is more about how much a club is willing to pay. Seamus has to be worth at least £16 million, not the £60,000 we were willing to pay for him.

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