Romelu Lukaku
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Immediate impact as substitute
Lukaku generated two shots (zero on goal) in Monday's 1-1 draw versus Egypt.
Analysis: Lukaku came on as a substitute in the second half of Monday's 1-1 draw with Egypt and made an immediate and decisive impact, running onto a cross from the right and lurching to tap the ball into the net only for Mohamed Hany to get there first and turn it into his own goal just 23 seconds after Lukaku's introduction, one of the fastest impacts by a substitute in World Cup history. The Napoli striker also registered two shots after coming on as Belgium pushed for a winner in the final 20 minutes, with his physical presence in the box and ability to hold up play and draw defensive attention changing the entire dynamic of the match from the moment he entered. Lukaku's immediate impact will reignite the debate around his starting role for the Iran fixture, with his ability to attract defenders and create space for teammates giving Belgium a fundamentally different attacking profile to what Charles De Ketelaere offers from the first whistle.
Returns with national team
Lukaku (hip) made a 17-minute appearance and scored the second of Belgium's goals in Tuesday's 2-0 friendly win over Croatia.
Analysis: Lukaku bounced back to competitive play following a three-month absence, and he quickly found the back of the net in his first chance. The experienced striker is now ready to compete for a major role at the international level, serving as an alternative to Charles De Ketelaere, who has recently been used in the middle of the front line. While not guaranteed to start, Lukaku is one of the top attacking threats of a squad that could benefit from a favorable group-stage schedule.
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