After a win last weekend helped them grab top spot in Group F, they will face Estonia at the King Baudouin Stadium on Tuesday in an attempt to secure a place in the Euro 2024 finals. The win will ensure Belgium are at least four points clear of third-placed in the group stage standings and they have just three games left before the qualifiers end in November.
Carrasco's lucky goal separated Belgium from Azerbaijan, but it was enough to lift the Red Devils to the top of Group F of the European Championship qualifiers. In hot conditions in Baku, Belgium held on to pick up maximum points to ensure they moved into first place on goal difference through Leandro Trossard hitting the post before John Bakayoko's long-range shot hit Carrasco and deflected into the net.
With 10 points from four games, Domenico Tedesco's side are indeed on course for a place in Germany next year, where they sit four points ahead of third-placed Sweden alongside Austria. Belgium can further cement their place in the top two in Group F by beating Estonia again, having earned a 3-0 win in Tallinn last season with a goal from Bakayoko and two from Romelu Lukaku.
New manager Tedesco begins his tenure after a disappointing World Cup campaign that saw Lukaku's hat-trick help them beat Sweden in Belgium's opening qualifier before they beat Germany 3-2 in a friendly.
With a number of veterans having left the scene and injuries to Thibaut Courtois and Kevin De Bruyne, new stars such as Manchester City's Jeremy Duku and PSV's Bakayoko are now leading the Red Devils' bid for a first international title. If they can pick up six points from this month's games, thus extending their unbeaten run to seven games, Belgium will feel they are on course for automatic qualification for Euro 2024.
After their home loss to Belgium and enduring an even tighter 2-1 defeat in Austria, Estonia suffered their third Group F reversal on Saturday night and in a rather frustrating manner. With just one point from their first three games, they sit second from bottom of the group, only avoiding the bottom thanks to a better goal difference than Azerbaijan, who were left reeling by the events in Tallinn.
Thomas Haberli's men, who also led until the final half-hour in a 1-1 draw with Azerbaijan after two late Austrian goals were disallowed, found themselves outclassed by Sweden's energetic attack, and a three-goal deficit at half-time turned into a 5-0 romp at the final whistle.
At the Nations League level, Estonia have had success against the likes of San Marino and Malta, and next month's qualifier against Azerbaijan could provide another opportunity, but they understandably find themselves outclassed when they need to move up a level.
Our prediction: Belgium 4-0 Estonia. Victory is almost a certainty for Belgium, who have plenty of attacking talent despite recent retirements and injuries. Estonia, who were hit hard at the weekend, will look to cut into the deficit in Brussels, but when space opens up halfway through the game, the Red Devils can take full advantage of a big attack.
