Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku has dedicated his performance to Denmark player Christian Eriksen after scoring the first of his two goals in a 3-0 win over Russia at the European Championship.
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After swivelling to shoot into the bottom corner in the 10th minute, Lukaku headed to a television camera and grabbed it with both hands, saying "Chris, Chris, I love you."
Lukaku's Inter Milan teammate Eriksen needed urgent medical treatment on the field before being taken to the hospital after collapsing during Denmark's match against Finland in Copenhagen earlier on Saturday.
That led to the match in Denmark being suspended for about 90 minutes before resuming and finishing just after Belgium's game started in St. Petersburg.
Eriksen was in a stable condition, UEFA said.
Substitute Thomas Meunier added a second goal in the 34th minute and Lukaku rounded off the scoring in the 88th for top-ranked Belgium, who validated their status as one of the Euro 2020 favourites with a comfortable win in front of a heavily pro-Russian crowd of 26,264 spectators.
"I enjoyed the game but for me, it was difficult to play because my mind was with my teammate Christian Eriksen," Lukaku said in broadcast interviews.
"I hope he is healthy and I dedicate this performance to him.
"My thoughts are with him, his girlfriend, his two kids and his family."
Before the Group B game, there were loud jeers around Saint Petersburg Stadium after Belgium's players took a knee before kick-off.
Loud music was played while the gesture against racism was taking place but the boos were still audible.
Belgium's victory was all the more impressive given they were without playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, who wasn't deemed ready after a minor operation on a fractured nose and eye socket, and with captain Eden Hazard only playing the final 19 minutes as a substitute.
Lacking his ideal supporting cast, Lukaku still managed to score in each half - moving to 62 goals in 93 international matches in the process - with some help from Russia defender Andrei Semenov for his opener.
Semenov mis-kicked while attempting to clear a cross from the right and the ball fell loose in the area, Lukaku pouncing and finding the corner with a low finish.
That punctured what had been a celebratory atmosphere inside the stadium and another mistake, this time by goalkeeper Anton Shunin, allowed Meunier to double the lead.
Meunier played Lukaku through on goal and the big striker made no mistake drilling the ball low into the corner to wrap things up.
Australian Associated Press
