Former England and Liverpool striker John Barnes believes that the Republic of Ireland made it too easy for Belgium during their 3-0 defeat in the Euro 2016 Group E match.

The 52-year-old was speaking as part of the SuperSport panel tasked with analyzing the action from the Euro 2016 match between Belgium and the Republic of Ireland.

According to Barnes, the Republic of Ireland made it too easy for Belgium to get on the front foot, from the counter-attack.

‘They made it easy for them second-half,’ Barnes commenting on Belgium’s second-half performance against the Republic of Ireland.

‘First-half when they defended deep, midfield four in front of the back four Belgium played well but didn’t cause them to many problems.’

‘Second-half it was as if Ireland had to get men to support Shane Long, they opened up and on the counter-attack Belgium just pulled them part.

Belgium won the match 3-0 after the final whistle, Romelu Lukaku, who scored a brace and became the first Belgium player to score more than one goal in a Euro final, while Axel Witsel got on the score sheet after 70 caps for his national side.

‘He worked his composure because you can panic, the ball comes to him there with no one around him, but he composes himself, he looks at the goalkeeper and he passes it in,’ he added.

‘He didn’t snatch at the chance, his first touch was good and you know I’m pleased for him because his been struggling.

‘They’ve not really played to his strengths in terms of getting crosses in, but here you can see both times as much as the crosses didn’t come in the air, both times play the ball into him and he’ll score.’

Speaking on the Republic of Irelands conceding three goals against Belgium, Barnes insists that the Irish should’ve handle their defensive work rate better, instead of trying to find the equaliser.

“Even when they went 1-0 down they still should’ve said “listen we are Ireland let’s keep it at 1-0, lets defend deep like we did in the first-half and if we got five or 10 minutes let’s try and do something”.

‘Don’t open up with a half an hour to go to try and get the equaliser, but on the counter attack Belgium could’ve scored more, Barnes concluded.