FIFA 2018- Belgium Up For Next Level Of World Cup

Not all are blessed with every sort of sporting gene. While our cricketers score victories worldwide, our footballers draw blanks. Surely the Brazilian ball wizards are no good with the bat? Though there are no reports of Brazil bleeding blue during the ICC Cricket World Cup, Indians have no qualms switching allegiance and donning the yellow of Brazil or the Argentine white-and-blue stripes for a month every four years. Our adopted teams might be on other continents, but every fall and rise strikes painfully and joyously close to home.

With Lionel Messi’s exit from the World Cup causing much heartache a few nights back, it was left to Brazil to keep our spirits high. While it’s not been a completely confidence-inspiring run towards the knockout stage, with two laboured wins and a draw, the 2-0 victory over Mexico gave a false sense of confidence as Brazil finally put on a full display of the team’s artistic virtuosity and defensive impenetrability for which fans had patiently waited.

The team, however, lost its head and its game (knowhow to defend) as a rollicking Belgium cut through its brittle heart to secure its first World Cup semifinals spot since 1986.

Roberto Martinez, who had acknowledged the need for muscle in his midfield, made two changes, bringing in Nacer Chadli and Marouane Fellaini — the goal scorers against Japan — as Kevin De Bruyne was pushed ahead to play on the right of a front three in a 3-5-3 system.

Brazil retained its 4-2-3-1 formation with Marcelo returning as the left back, replacing Filipe Luis, and was time and again beaten, unable to cope with the quick Belgian transitions that bypassed coach Tite’s zonal marking grids. The troika of De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard sprinted forward — whenever offered a chance — creating flutters in the opposition defence.

The South Americans went behind in the 13th minute as Hazard’s corner was deflected past a diving Alisson, touching the arm of Fernandinho, who under no pressure mistimed his jump. Belgium, living dangerously, trying to play from the back, almost immediately surrendered the lead as Neymar dribbled his way to the byline, flicking a ball to Gabriel Jesus, who, however, failed to find enough purchase on his shot.

Soon, De Bruyne went of on a wonderful run in the 23rd minute, bursting down the left to cut inside and pass the ball to Lukaku, who nut-meged Miranda, but Thiago Silva was there to tidy things up. It was an end-to-end battle as both sides pressed on the accelerator, caring very little about their defensive shape.

Belgium, which found its winner through a classic counterattack against Japan, again benefited from a darting Lukaku run — purposeful and committed — down the middle, with De Bruyne finishing off the move with a sweet right-footed volley from the edge of the box that nestled on the left corner of Alisson’s net.