Disappointing Belgium saved tools against Canada

Belgium, third in Russia 2018, came to the World Cup in Qatar with its stars but was not placed in the forecasts this time among the strong favorites for the title. His tournament debut confirmed this feeling. The ‘red devils’ won, yes, but their game leaves many doubts and it was only enough to defeat Canada with their only goal from Michy Batshuayi (1-0).

Soccer is unpredictable and an inexperienced team like Canada, in its second participation in a World Cup after 36 years of absence, was able to impose its rhythm on the game against a rival, Belgium, which is the sign is the touch and combination game introduced by Robert Martinez.

De Bruyne, discontent

If Kevin De Bruyne shows signs of being unhappy with the progress of the meeting, bad business. And it happened. Canada changed the planned script and, instead of waiting at the back and fighting it, they planted themselves in the opposite field trying to surprise, reaching the goal of Thibaut Courtois with judgment and speed.

And when the Canadians didn’t have the ball, their high pressing prevented the Belgian defense and Youri Tielemans from getting it to connect with De Bruyne.

gg.didomi.doWhenConsent(!window.didomiBypass, ‘c:twitterwi-wUmBnnKy’, function () {
var x = document.createElement(‘script’);
x.setAttribute(“type”,”text/javascript”);
x.setAttribute(“src”, “//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js”);
x.setAttribute(“charset”, “utf-8”);
$(“.twitter-tweet”).closest( “span” ).append(x);
});

The ‘red devils’ were fortunate that Courtois cemented his status as the best goalkeeper in the world and saved a penalty for Alphonso Davies, the Bayern winger and figure from Canada, after the referee used VAR in the 10th minute to point out that Yannick Carrasco waved away a shot from Tajon Buchanan. This is the fifth-highest penalty saved by the Real Madrid goalkeeper out of the nine thrown at him in 2022.

gg.didomi.doWhenConsent(!window.didomiBypass, ‘c:twitterwi-wUmBnnKy’, function () {
var x = document.createElement(‘script’);
x.setAttribute(“type”,”text/javascript”);
x.setAttribute(“src”, “//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js”);
x.setAttribute(“charset”, “utf-8”);
$(“.twitter-tweet”).closest( “span” ).append(x);
});

Faced with a lack of energy to play his style, centre-back Toby Alderweireld delivered a long pass that the Canadian centre-backs ate up and left Michy Batshuayi alone to beat Milan Borjan. This is the discount of a first part in which Belgium only ended up with the goal in the first minutes by the Fenerbahçe forward, starting in place of the injured Romelu Lukaku, who was present in the stands.

Canada gave more of a sense of danger, fired more but Courtoi, always sure, and the lack of ‘punch’ from Jonathan David and Tajon Buchanan prevented him from breaking forecasts.

Hazard, replaced

Despite the goal, Roberto Martínez didn’t like what he was seeing and on the way down he made two changes. The situation did not change much and at the time of the game the coach from Lleida removed his captain Eden Hazard, which again gave him reasons to withdraw the blind trust he had in him in a meaningless performance.

With the entry of Leandro Trossard, scorer of seven Premier League goals with Brighton, everything indicated that Belgium would improve but Canada maintained its approach throughout… and their divorce with a goal despite ending more than 20 times.

The defense holds

There were concerns in Belgium about the solidity of their defence, but veterans Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen, with a calmness conveyed to them by Courtois, held off Canada’s push and helped secure the three points in their debut to avoid a bump like Argentina and Germany experienced.

Belgium

10

Canada

Belgium: Courtois; Dendoncker, Alderweireld, Vertonghen; Castagne, Tielemans (Amadou Onana, m.46), Witsel, Carrasco (Meunier, m.46);; De Bruyne, Eden Hazard (Trossard, m.62); Batshuayi (Openda, m.78)

Canada: Borjan; Johnston, Vitoria, Miller; Laryea (Adekugbe, m.73), Hutchinson (Ismael Koné, m.58), Eustaquio (Osorio, 81), Davies; Buchanan (Millar, m.81), Hoilett (Larin, m.58); Jonathan David.

Goal: 1-0, m.44: Batshuayi.

Referee: Janny Sikazwe (Zambia). He advised Carrasco (m.9), Meunier (m.53), Amadou Onana (m.56), from Belgium. In Canada they saw the yellow Alphonso Davies (m.82) and Johnston (m.83).

Incidents: Match corresponding to the first day of group F of the Qatar 2022 World Cup played at the Ahmad Bin Ali stadium before 40,432 spectators, according to official figures given during the match.

see the match sheet