Belgium 3-0 Republic of Ireland, Uefa Euro 2016: Romelu Lukaku double helps spark Belgian campaign into life

Belgium are up and running in this competition. A double from Romelu Lukaku either side of Axel Witsel's header was enough to sink Republic of Ireland, whose hopes of reaching the knockout stages now rest on them beating Italy next Wednesday. Even that might not be enough after shipping three in Bordeaux today.

There is plenty more Euro 2016 to look forward to today and you can join us for Iceland vs Hungary here.

Full time: Belgium 3-0 Republic of Ireland

Belgium have been ruthless today and will deservedly take all three points. That turgid display against Italy suddenly seems a long time ago now.

Three minutes of time added on here. Hendrick digs out a shot that slams into the back of Brady.

Belgium have taken their foot off the pedal a bit here; Ireland are seeing more of the ball but they don't have the invention to craft anything of note.

Ireland win a free kick a good 30 yards out from goal. McClean stands over it and has a crack at goal, but it bounces harmlessly wide in front of Courtois.

De Bruyne has been outstanding this afternoon and now wants to add his name to the score sheet. He effortlessly turns past his man and tries his luck from range, but Randolph watches it all the way and saves.

Lukaku's afternoon is over, Christian Benteke is on for the final eight minutes.

Lukaku and Belgium have come alive in this game; they have torn through Ireland on the counter with the Everton striker notching two.

Robbie Keane has now entered the fray for the final 10 minutes, replacing Long who has not stopped working all afternoon.

As it stands, Italy will top Group E whatever happens in the final group games.

Belgium are stroking the ball around now, their job is done. Robbie Keane is currently warming up for Ireland.

Oh Ciaran Clark, why did you do that? The centre-half lunges into a needless slide challenge on the half way line when he needed to stand his ground. Hazard easily nips clear and races into acres of space and suddenly it is three on one with O'Shea the only Irish player back. Hazard opts to slip it into Lukaku and after a touch, he slots another one past Randolph.

Goal! Belgium 3-0 Republic of Ireland (Romelu Lukaku, 69)

McClean tries to force an Irish attack, tearing down the left flank and bursting clear past a few Belgian defenders. He curls a ball into the box but with only Long in there, it is easy for Courtois to collect.

Axel Witsel's header has doubled Belgium's lead Game over?

A change for both sides, Dries Mertens is onto replace Carraso for the Belgians while Martin O'Neill has decided to roll the dice, with McCarthy coming off for James McClean.

Belgium double their lead after another fine counter-attack. Meunier is freed in plenty of space down the right and he delivers an excellent cross into the six yard area. Witsel has also sprung away from his man with ease and despite Randolph's best efforts, nods into the back of the net.

Goal! Belgium 2-0 Republic of Ireland (Axel Witsel, 61)

Belgium lead as we approach the hour mark.

Coleman scampers into space down the right and cuts the ball back to Hoolahan. He curls a ball into Long who is eased off the ball but it falls to Brady behind him. He can take the shot on first-time, but instead decides to take a touch, allowing Vertonghen to leap across and block.

Dembele looked to turn on his ankle there and his afternoon is over, Radja Nainggolan comes onto replace him.

Belgian fans howl in appeal as Ireland carry on with Dembele down injured. They had two or three chances to put the ball out of play themselves so there's no sympathy from the opposition.

Lukaku was rotten against Italy, but he has given Belgium the lead this afternoon with a superb finish.

Hendrick tries to dink a pass into Hoolahan on the edge of the box but it's blocked. By a hand, maybe? Irish players appeal but nothing is given.

Clark leaps inside the box to meet the corner but is eased off the ball by Vertonghen and Belgian spring forward again.

Space opens up in front of Whelan, inviting him to take the shot on from 25 out. It takes a deflection and Ireland win a corner.

Ireland had a real case for a penalty before that goal; a high boot from Alderweireld dangerously close to Long would have been a free kick anywhere else on the pitch. The referee waved play on and... well, you know the rest.

Belgium have the lead! From Ireland appealing for a penalty at one end, Belgium spring forward with De Bruyne freed in space down the right flank. He has McCarthy for company, but the Manchester City star jinks inside him, leaving the Everton midfielder on the ground before threading a ball across to Lukaku on the edge of the box. With a neat first touch, he takes the ball under control and curls a precise finish past Randolph with a superb finish.

Goal! Belgium 1-0 Republic of Ireland (Romelu Lukaku, 47)

And we are back underway for the second half in Bordeaux. Will Ireland go for a more positive approach in this half?

Half time: Belgium 0-0 Republic of Ireland

Witsel meets this one with a flicked header, but this time it is an easy for Randolph in the Irish goal.

Carrasco arrows a dangerous ball in from the left with Lukaku lurking in the six yard area but Clark gets across to force the corner.

There are two balls on the pitch and Hendrick decides to play a bit of snooker, booting one towards the other to try and stop a Belgium attack. He gets a booking for his trouble and De Bruyne can whip another free kick into the box. Vertonghen is looking to try and get on the end of this one, but his effort is wide.

Off the line! De Bruyne whips another cracking ball in that Alderweireld again meets and nods towards the far post but Brady is back to steer it clear.

Belgium win another free-kick that De Bruyne will whip in.

Still no shot on goal from Republic of Ireland as we approach the final five minutes of the first half.

Belgium probe and probe, but the Irish defence stands strong. Witsel is the latest to have a crack but it is bravely charged down by O'Shea. Ireland manage to hoof the ball up pitch for Long to again chase, but he can't keep it in play.

Long is cutting a frustrated figure so far. He comes out to the left wing to chase down another long ball but looks to play the first time pass instead of holding onto it. No teammates are in sight, allowing Belgium to collect the loose ball.

Kevin de Bruyne has been outstanding so far. Ireland cannot get near him.

De Bruyne again frees the onrushing Meunier just inside the box and the full-back elects to take the shot on with the outside of his right boot. Wrong choice; he drives it well wide, much to the frustration of Dembele who was breaking into the box.

De Bruyne this time opts to take a shot on from outside the box, firing a low effort in but it is an easy save for Randolph.

Belgium have the ball in the back of the net, but it won't count! De Bruyne whips another brilliant ball in, this time from the right, with Carrasco breaking into space inside the box. He sticks out a boot to knock it on goal, forcing Randolph into a fine save, palming it on to the bar. It's nodded into the back of the net on the follow up but the whistle has already hone.

De Bruyne is already looking far sharper than he did against Italy.

Belgium try to pass their way out from the back but they are swamped by Ireland and Hoolahan retrieves it on the edge of the box. He has Hendrick free to his left but his first touch isn't a great one and Alderweireld manages to recover and intercept with a sliding challenge.

The best chance of the game falls to Hazard. De Bruyne pulls out to the right and delivers a stunning cross into Lukaku. Clark does just enough to shepherd him off the ball, but it balls to Hazard on the edge of the box, who has plenty of time to wind back his right peg and find the target. Instead, he lashes a wild effort well over the bar.

The next corner is floated in but Courtois strolls out from goal and collects.

Brady flicks a corner in that Long meets with a header. It looks like it's looping over, but Courtois palms it over just in case.

Hendrick, who tested Sweden from range on a couple of occasions during the week, gets the ball on the edge of the box but doesn't have time to pull the trigger. Ireland recycle the ball however and win their first corner of the game.

Seamus Coleman is judged to have fouled Hazard over on the left and De Bruyne will again take responsibility for the set piece. He curls a beauty of a ball into the box, but it bypasses all his teammates and sails just wide of Randolph's far post.

Ireland are sitting very deep in these opening stages. Shane Long is a good 40 yards away from his teammates each time they send a ball forward towards him, leaving him to take on the Belgian back line on his own each time.

Wes Hoolahan and Mousa Dembele tussle for the ball.

Belgium win a corner that De Bruyne whips in towards the near post. Alderweireld nips across and connects with a glancing header, but he steers it just wide of the far post.

Hazard drags a cross in from the left that bypasses his teammates and his hacked away by Ward. Again, Long relentlessly chases it down but Vertonghen cleans up.

Witsel slips a ball down the right for Meunier to run onto but the full-back is offside.

Long chases down a ball down in behind Alderweireld and keeps the ball in play. Hoolahan and Ward arrive in support and try to work a one-two to free the former out towards the byline, but Belgium intercept.

All Belgium so far, Marc Wilmots side are dominating the ball and already look sharper than they did on Tuesday. Ireland are keeping their shape so far, however.

De Bruyne already looks brighter than he did against Italy. Hazard cuts the ball into him inside the box and he twists and turns into space, shaping to shoot. Instead, he threads it out to Carrasco who has popped up on the byline to hammer in a low cross, but Randolph collects.

De Bruyne threads a ball down the inside right channel for Lukaku to run onto and beats O'Shea to the ball. He keeps the ball in play but Belgium are quickly swamped by Irish shirts.

And we are off and underway in Bordeaux.

Five minutes until kick-off, time of the national anthems.

The introduction of Robbie Brady at left wing provides Ireland with real width this afternoon. The Hull City man started at left back against Sweden but was a constant threat down that flank going forward. With the licence to stay upfield, he could have a telling role to play this afternoon. Martin O'Neill also has James McClean to introduce off the bench on the other wing.

Republic of Ireland and Belgium will be meeting for the eigth time in competitive matches this afternoon. Of those previous seven meetings, five ended in a draw, with each taking a single win.

When Group E was drawn, it looked like Ireland's best chance of qualification would be via a third-place finish. But with Sweden collecting just one point from two and Belgium looking ragged, Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane will be telling their side second place is a real possibility.

What could prove pivotal is Ireland's final group game against Italy, who qualified for the knock-out stages with Friday's win over Sweden. Azzurri boss Antonio Conte will make changes to that side, with key players likely to be rested. Conte said:

I won't make wholesale changes. I will pick a side to win the match, but also to rest players.

Fans from both sides are beginning to filter in as kick-off nears.

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and Belgium boss Marc Wilmots have been in the headlines this week for the wrong reasons. But what was described as a full-on "furious altercation" with his manager in some reports was later passed off as "constructive criticism" between the two by the goalkeeper.

We're all winners, you want to win a game and I was a little bit frustrated after the match.

"Perhaps we didn't do what we needed to do in that game, but we must learn the necessary lessons.

"It was constructive criticism and we have worked on it as a team, and we need a positive result as a team.

Another change in that Belgium team has seen Marc Wilmots bring in Thomas Meunier for Laurent Ciman at right-back.

BREAKING: One change for Ireland after their opening draw against Sweden with Burnley's Stephen Ward coming in for the injured Jon Walters. Ward drops in at left-back with Brady, who impressed against the Swedes, moving into a more attacking role on the left.

Ireland team to face Belgium: Randolph, Coleman, Clark, O'Shea, Whelan, McCarthy, Long, Hendrick, Ward, Brady, Hoolahan

BREAKING: Marouane Fellaini and Radja Nainggolan drop out of the Belgium XI, with Tottenham's Mousa Dembele and Yannick Ferreira Carrasco coming in. Romelu Lukaku holds on.

Belgium team to face Ireland: Courtois, Meunier, Alderweireld, Vermaelen, Vertonghen, Witsel, Dembélé, De Bruyne, Hazard, Carrasco, Lukaku

Team news: Belgium

Kevin de Bruyne and Eden Hazard was absent from training this week but they two are not thought to be in danger of missing this afternoon's game. After his woeful performance against Italy, Romelu Lukaku's spot in the first team is In jeopardy. Liverpool's Divock Origi came onto replace him in that game, but didn't fare much better. That could open the door for Michy Batshuayi.

Team news: Ireland

Jonathan Walters was a fitness doubt heading into the tournament and while he was passed fit to start against Sweden, Martin O'Neill's gamble backfired, with the Stoke City forward aggravating an Achilles problem.

Having crashed out of Euro 2012 without a point to their name, Republic of Ireland began this summer's campaign brilliantly. They will still be kicking themselves after Ciaran Clark's own goal cost them all three points in their group E opener against Sweden, but with Italy having already qualified for the knockout stages, the door is open for them to join them.

Belgium's golden generation continue to stutter and in their 2-0 defeat to the Azzurri, they did not look like a side who were suddenly about to find their way. An unlikely Irish victory could catapult Martin O'Neill's side into a position where qualification as group runners up is a real possibility, with Antonio Conte also likely to rest many of his star players in the final group meeting between the two on Thursday.

Belgium's woes extend much further than just a couple of poor performances on the pitch. Both Thibaut Courtois and Radja Nainggolan vented their frustration at manager Marc Wilmots in the aftermath of that Italy defeat. Kevin de Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku looked jaded and, in the latter's case, simply unable to control a football. Improvement is needed.