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Lukaku a doubt for Belgium against San Marino

SHOWS:

TUBIZE, BELGIUM (OCTOBER 9, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

1. FORWARD ROMELU LUKAKU WARMING UP WITH MIDFIELDERS ADNAN JANUZAJ, YOURI TIELEMANS AND OTHER TEAMMATES

2. BELGIAN PLAYERS DOING RONDO EXERCISES

3. MIDFIELDER NACER CHADLI, LUKAKU AND DEFENDER TOBY ALDERWEIRELD TRAINING

4. GOALKEEPER THIBAUT COURTOIS CATCHING BALLS

5. PLAYERS STRETCHING

6. PLAYERS LAUGHING AND JOKING DURING TRAINING

7. PLAYERS, INCLUDING FORWARD EDEN HAZARD, DURING AGILITY EXERCISES

8. BELGIAN NATIONAL TEAM TRAINING

9. PLAYERS DURING VERTICAL EXERCISES

10. DEFENDERS THOMAS VERMAELEN AND TOBY ALDERWEIRELD STRETCHING

11. LUKAKU STRETCHING

12. COURTOIS TRAINING WITH OTHER GOALKEEPERS

13. FORWARD MICHY BATSHUAYI AND FORWARD DRIES MERTENS STRETCHING

14. PLAYERS JOGGING AROUND PITCH

15. BELGIAN NATIONAL FLAG FLYING NEXT TO UEFA RESPECT FLAG

STORY: There were still doubts on Wednesday (October 9) as to whether forward Romelu Lukaku would be fit to play Belgium's Euro 2020 qualifier against minnows San Marino on Thursday.

Lukaku is sidelined with a muscle injury, but Belgium's head coach Roberto Martinez said he was hopeful that the 26-year-old forward could still play.

Maxime Lestienne's recall to the squad ended in bitter disappointment on Monday when he had to withdraw because of injury. The Standard Liege attacker was a surprise inclusion when Roberto Martinez announced his squad.

It ended a six-year wait for Lestienne, who was called up in 2013 but did not play and has been in international wilderness since.

Belgium top their group with six wins from six matches, having previously dispatched San Marino and Scotland 4-0 respectively. They have kept five clean sheets and are tipped to extend their lead over second-placed Russia on Thursday. If they beat San Marino they will become the first country to qualify.

(Production Jorrit Donner-Wittkopf and Bart Biesemans)