ENGLAND scouts will be at the King Baudouin Stadium for this one. The Three Lions face Roberto Martinez's men in their third Group G match at the World Cup. 7 Belgium's Mousa Dembele, Kevin De Bruyne and Vincent Kompany limber up to face Portugal Credit: AFP Belgium's star player Kevin de Bruyne, 26, should be on show. The Manchester City midfielder has played 59 internationals with 14 goals since 2010. He leads a star-studded line-up that includes Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois and midfield teammate Eden Hazard, and Manchester United hitman Romelu Lukaku. Another striker, Chelsea's Michy Batshuayi, has been successful on loan at Borussia Dortmund, scoring two goals in his first game and then five more before getting injured. 7 De Bruyne celebrates with Lukaku after scoring against Saudi Arabia Credit: FRANCOIS LENOIR 7 Lukaku helps put the Saudis to the sword in Belgium's friendly win in March Credit: AP:Associated Press TOP STORIES FROM THE WORLD CUP YOU HATE ALL THE SPIES Russian locals warned not to film or spy on World Cup training camps Revealed WET 'N WILD Kyle Walker admits he pees in the shower during lie detector test NO TEARS Jordan Pickford insist he 'never worries about making mistakes' ahead of World Cup SEX BAN Germany Wags banned from Russia as Joachim Low outlaws sex - but players can drink Pictured real mad cold Spain star plunges into -188C cryotherapy chamber in World Cup fitness bid Feature MAKES YOU INK The amazing stories behind some of football's most talked about tattoos Belgium have scored at least three goals in five of their last seven games, including two 4-0 wins, one 3-3, a 4-3 and a 9-0 against Gibraltar. Lukaku netted in all but one of these games. Portugal will travel to Russia with many of the players from the squad that won Euro 2016, including Cristiano Ronaldo, and also carry the same low-key mentality it had in France. Coach Fernando Santos said: "We are fully aware that we are not the favourites. 7 Portuguese coach Fernando Santos accepts his team are not amongst the favourites for the World Cup Credit: Reuters 7 But you never know, Cristiano Ronaldo may have something to say about that Credit: AFP or licensors "History shows it, as do all the titles of the other teams that will be playing at the World Cup. "Before the European Championship I also didn't believe we were the favourites." Portugal face Morocco, Iran and Spain in Group B. On Monday they drew 2-2 with Tunisia began its World Cup preparations with a 2-2 draw against England's Group G opponents Tunisia without Ronaldo because he'd just played with Real Madrid in the Champions League final. 7 Credit: EPA Portugal's Bruno Alves and Bernardo Silva in action during a training session in Oeiras 7 Goalkeeper Rui Patricio is put through his paces Credit: EPA Portugal have won just one of their last four friendly matches but have not played an away friendly since 2016, when they lost 1-0 to England. They were 2-0 up against Tunisia on Monday before conceding twice. They were also beaten 3-0 at home by Holland and 1-1 with the US, both of whom failed to qualify for the World Cup. How to claim your FREE £10 bet 1 Register for Sun Bets here 2 Bet £5 or more 3 Sun Bets will stick a £10 bet in your account Vincent Kompany and Kevin De Bruyne score great goals during Belgium World Cup training - which is better? Where can I live stream Belgium v Portugal and which TV channel is the match on? YOU can watch this game live on MUTV, with coverage starting at 7.30pm. Alternatively, you can keep up-to-date with all the latest action on the SunSport LIVE blog. 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Catch the action at 7.45pm from the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on Saturday, June 2. Team news<doc-sep>Two of the World Cup's potential dark horses Belgium and Portugal play out a goalless draw in a warm-up friendly in Brussels ahead of the tournament. Belgium have extended their unbeaten run to 17 games courtesy of a goalless draw with Portugal in this evening's World Cup warm-up match in Brussels. Neither side could break the deadlock as their preparations for this summer's tournament continued, playing out a stalemate in the final match before the World Cup squads must be finalised on Monday. Belgium will now take on Egypt and Costa Rica in their final two games before travelling to Russia - where they have been drawn alongside England - while Portugal now have only one warm-up match remaining, against Algeria. © Reuters Belgium boss Roberto Martinez chose a strong team including the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku in the starting lineup, whereas Portugal were still without their talisman Cristiano Ronaldo following his Champions League exploits last weekend. The home side's quality almost shone through in the opening minutes when Lukaku was first denied a shot from inside the box before directed a tame header straight at Beto from the follow-up. Portugal responded immediately, though, with Goncalo Guedes working space to shoot from range but firing his 25-yard effort narrowly over the crossbar. Thibaut Courtois was called into action for the first time midway through the first half when Joao Moutinho tried his luck from even further out, and his dipping strike needed to be tipped away by the Chelsea goalkeeper. Both of the teams have been tipped as dark horses for this summer's World Cup, and they continued to trade blows as the first half wore on with Yannick Carrasco turning smartly and firing into the side-netting just moments before Bernardo Silva cut inside but scuffed his finish into the arms of Courtois. © Reuters The Chelsea shot-stopper was called into more challenging work soon after when Raphael Guerreiro was afforded space to shoot, unleashing a powerful effort which Courtois needed to be at full stretch to turn away. Portugal were beginning to gain a certain degree of control over the contest, but they struggled to turn that into goals and Guedes nodded over before Bernardo's deflected drive flew narrowly past the post as Belgium hung on. The chances continued to arrive for the visitors and Gelson Martins was the next to squander an opportunity before Guedes fired wide from the edge of the area right on the stroke of half time. Belgium managed to hang on until the interval, though, and it was the home side that created the first chance after the restart too when Jan Vertonghen almost marked his 100th international appearance with a goal, only for Beto to get a hand to his curling effort from the edge of the box. © Reuters Portugal were soon back on the front foot, though, and they should have been ahead midway through the second half when Guedes beat the offside trap before picking out Martins, who got his finish all wrong and missed the target from eight yards out. It took a fine save from Beto to prevent Belgium from taking full advantage of that miss, with the Portugal keeper getting down smartly to deny Thomas Meunier. A Nacer Chadli cross almost broke the deadlock with just over 15 minutes remaining, but Christian Benteke was inches short of getting on the end of it and the ball skipped past the far post. It was the home side that continued to look the most likely to get a winner late on, with Adnan Januzaj and Dedryck Boyata both coming close, but Portugal held on to make it back-to-back draws in their World Cup warm-up matches. There was late concern for the Euro 2016 champions, however, as goalkeeper Beto appeared to damage his hamstring in injury time, just two days before the final squads for the tournament must be released. Belgium will get their World Cup campaign underway against Panama on June 18, whereas Portugal are in action three days before that when they face Iberian rivals Spain. BELGIUM (3-4-3): Courtois; Alderweireld, Kompany (Boyata 55'), Vertonghen; Meunier, De Bruyne, Dembele (Fellaini 46'), Carrasco (Chadli 46'); Mertens (Januzaj 46'), Lukaku (Benteke 46'), E Hazard (T Hazard 80') PORTUGAL (4-4-2): Beto; Cedric, Pepe, Fonte, Guerreiro; Martins (Quaresma 63'), Moutinho (B Fernandes 87'), Carvalho, Mario (M Fernandes 72'); Bernardo (A Silva 78'), Guedes (Rui 93')<doc-sep>Soccrates Images/Getty Images Belgium and Portugal will face a major test ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup on Saturday, as the two teams go head-to-head in Brussels. Portugal are the current European champions, while Belgium enter the World Cup with hype and momentum after a record-breaking qualifying campaign. Both teams are filled with talent known for their scoring exploits, so for neutral fans, this should be must-watch television. Here is a look ahead at the match. Date: Saturday, June 2 Time: 7:45 p.m. BST/2:45 p.m. ET Venue: King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels TV Info/Live Stream: MUTV, ESPN Belgium vs. The Elite There's no denying Belgium's qualifying campaign was impressive―the Red Devils went unbeaten, winning all but one of their matches and setting a new record for goals scored in a UEFA qualifying group with 43. Per UEFA.com's Paul Saffer, world champions Germany equalled the amount. Belgium feasted on a number of smaller teams―the likes of Gibraltar and Estonia never stood a chance―and have impressed against some of the continent's best as well in recent years, with wins over France, the Netherlands and Italy. Counting friendlies, they haven't lost since 2016. BRUNO FAHY/Getty Images Video Play Button Videos you might like But the Red Devils have shown vulnerabilities against solid teams lately, including a 3-3 draw against Mexico, a narrow 1-0 win over Japan and a draw with Russia last year. In those matches, the Belgians struggled with each team's quicker, more athletic players out wide and up top―another reminder of their relative weakness at the full-back position. Portugal have plenty of attacking talent and will provide the hosts with a stern―and needed―test ahead of the World Cup. We'll learn whether the hype is legitimate on Saturday. Can Portugal's Defence Survive the Onslaught? The current European champions wasted a 2-0 advantage in their last friendly, settling for a 2-2 draw against Tunisia, a team not expected to do much at the World Cup. Quality Sport Images/Getty Images That's a bad omen for Portugal, who enter the tournament with some question marks. They're missing a number of depth players who played a key role two years ago, including Barcelona's Andre Gomes and Bayern Munich's Renato Sanches, who have since regressed. On top of the absentees, there have been some changes to the starting XI as well. One of those changes came in central defence, where longtime starter Pepe paired with 21-year-old Ruben Dias against Tunisia. Portuguese football expert Jan Hagen liked what he saw: The real test will come against Belgium, who are loaded with attacking talent and will put the duo under constant pressure. If Dias can hold his own against Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard and the rest of the Red Devils' vaunted squad, he'll more than earn his spot in the team. It's a major ask for the youngster, however, and something to keep a close eye on. Prediction: Belgium 2-2 Portugal<doc-sep>How to watch Belgium vs. Portugal an international friendly on Saturday, June 2. Belgium and Portugal face off in a high-profile friendly on Saturday in Brussels ahead of the World Cup. Both are considered threats in the summer's competition, with Portugal boasting superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and looking to prove its Euro 2016 title was no fluke, and Belgium featuring the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku and more firepower under manager Roberto Martinez. The matchup is a good World Cup tune-up for Portugal, who will take on Spain in its first World Cup match, while Belgium opens against first-time participant Panama. Here's how to watch the match: Time: 2:45 p.m. ET TV Channel: ESPN Deportes ​Live Stream: You can watch the match live via WatchESPN or the ESPN+ app.<doc-sep>
Two of the World Cup's dark horses face off in a friendly that will offer plenty of star power in Brussels this weekend Two potential World Cup dark horses meet in what is sure to be a hotly contested friendly this week, as Belgium take on Portugal in Brussels. Roberto Martinez's side boast a plethora of talent, including the likes of Manchester City duo Kevin De Bruyne and Vincent Kompany, Manchester United's Romelu Lukaku and Chelsea's Eden Hazard, while Portugal's hopes seem to rely upon the majestic talent of Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo. Portugal will also take on Algeria before the World Cup gets underway later this month, while Belgium have two further friendlies, against Egypt and Costa Rica. The Red Devils have been drawn into a group with Panama, Tunisia and England, while Ronaldo and Co. will take on Morocco, Iran and Spain. Game Belgium vs Portugal Date Saturday, June 2 Time 19:45 BST / 14:45 ET TV Channel, Live Stream & How To Watch In the United States (US) , the game can be watched on ESPN Deportes+, ESPN Deportes and ESPN3. It can be streamed through Directv. US TV channel Online stream ESPN Deportes Directtv In the United Kingdom (UK), the game can be watched live on Manchester United's official club television channel, MUTV, and the online MUTV app. UK TV channel Online stream MUTV mutv.manutd.com Squads & Team News Position Belgium players Goalkeepers Casteels, Courtois, Mignolet, Sels Defenders Alderweireld, Boyata, Ciman, Kabasele, Kompany, J. Lukaku, Meunier, Vermaelen, Vertonghen Midfielders De Bruyne, Chadli, Dembele, Dendoncker, Fellaini, Tielemans, Witsel Forwards Batshuayi, Benteke, Carrasco, E. Hazard, T. Hazard, Januzaj, R. Lukaku, Mertens Roberto Martinez must whittle his 28-man squad down to 23 by June 4, but is unlikely to be too experimental against such strong opposition. As such, the likes of Premier League stalwarts Thibaut Courtois, De Bruyne, Hazard and Jan Vertonghen are all likely to feature. It remains to be seen, however, if Toby Alderweireld will be deployed in defence after struggling for game time at Tottenham during the latter part of the season. Potential Belgium starting XI: Courtois; Meunier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, J. Lukaku; De Bruyne, Witsel, Dembele; Mertens, R. Lukaku, E. Hazard Position Portugal players Goalkeepers Lopes, Beto, Rui Patricio Defenders Alves, Cedric, Fonte, Mario Rui, Pepe, Guerreiro, Pereira, Ruben Dias Midfielders Adrien Silva, B Fernandes, Mario, Moutinho, M Fernandes, Carvalho Forwards Andre Silva, Bernardo Silva, Ronaldo, Martins, Guedes, Quaresma Portugal are likely to head into the World Cup with a 4-4-2 formation, with Andre Silva set to partner Cristiano Ronaldo up front. Elsewhere, there is likely to be a battle between Anthony Lopes and Rui Patricio to start in goal, while an ageing defence - Bruno Alves is 36 and Pepe 35 - could ultimately prove to be an Achilles' heel. Potential Portugal starting XI: Rui Patricio; Pereira, Pepe, Alves, Guerreiro; B. Silva, Moutinho, Carvalho, Guedes; A. Silva, Ronaldo Betting & Match Odds Belgium are favourites to win the match with dabblebet pricing them at evens. Portugal are rated 11/4 to beat the Red Devils and a draw is available at 9/4. Match Preview Both Belgium and Portugal head into the World Cup full of hope, but also wary of key weaknesses within their ranks. Roberto Martinez has a star-studded squad at his disposal - the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard would walk into any other national team in the world - but they have flattered to deceive at major tournaments, and this would appear to be the last hurrah of a supposed Golden Generation. Portugal, meanwhile, have Cristiano Ronaldo, and also surprised many with their Euro 2016 victory just two years ago. However, a reliance on ageing stars and a lack of strength in depth means they will have to lean heavily on the Real Madrid megastar. Article continues below Thus this friendly offers a key opportunity for both sides to measure their progress heading into Russia. Both sides are in groups that they will expect to qualify from, with England offering the only challenge to top spot for the Red Devils, and Spain doing the same for Portugal. Yet the likes of France, Germany, Brazil and La Roja have far deeper squads than these two sides, and they must be placed alongside the Three Lions, Argentina and Uruguay in a 'dark horses' pot. A victory here for either side would prove impactful, though it is Belgium who have form on their side.