The 2022 World Cup in Qatar will already go down in history as one of the least productive at least in the group stage, but for individual teams it will be considered unsuccessful in a number of other indicators. In particular, the current “bronze” medalists of the 2018 World Cup, the players of the Belgian national team, conceded their star generation of artists to the next international forum, but in the end, with their performances, they effectively buried the remains of the commitment of the fans for the current call-up of Roberto Martinez’s team.
And if the Red Devils somehow managed to defeat Canada in the opening match of world football due to the class of individual performers and a small fortune (1: 0), then the Belgians could not repeat an experience similar in the game against Morocco (0: 2) . Meanwhile, the Croatian team itself gradually climbed to the top of the table without defeats in matches against representatives of Africa (0:0) and North America (4:1).
Play deep defense or risk it all? Zlatko Dalic spent more than one evening thinking about the tactics of his team’s match against the Belgians, and finally came to the conclusion that it is better to try to catch the opponents on a quick goal, and in case of failure, it is more reliable close your gate. Croatia thus began the game with a deadly shot from the left of the penalty area by Perisic already in the first seconds, but the ball went wide at the far post.
After that, the nominal home team predictably retreated to their own half in anticipation of counter-attack exits. The opponents took advantage of this to create their own chances, but in the end Carrasco and Mertens didn’t have much success. And for an inattentive attitude to their own moments, their team, by the way, could immediately fly away if Carrasco was almost unlucky with Lovren’s offside during Modric’s free kick from the left wing, from the rebound from which the ‘striker started senselessly juggling the ball in his own penalty area and in the end only knocked down Kramaric.
Belgium was lucky to have VAR as an indispensable attribute in World Cup matches, but luck left Martinez’s team in terms of the result of the parallel game. Morocco was already starting to tear Canada apart, and it wasn’t until late in the first half that the Red Devils let out a bit as he scored in response to two goals conceded. Meanwhile, the Croatians managed to reduce the pace of our game to a minimum.
That’s why, in the second half, Martinez was forced to release striker Romelu Lukaku, in whatever physical condition he was there. It turned out that the condition of the Inter player is identical to the worst segments of his career, but still it was impossible to do without his presence on the field. And immediately from his appearance, Lukaku began to threaten goals from others, eventually even putting himself in the right position, when in the 60th minute there was an opportunity to finish with an almost empty rebound in the center of the penalty area from a failed one – to one with the goalkeeper executed by Carrasco.
And how Romelu didn’t score under the curtain of normal time! Oh! It was enough to see how his comrades reacted to an unsuccessful attempt to push the ball across Livakovych’s goal line already with his stomach. Then it seemed that the Croatians believed in the inevitable conceded ball, although they themselves at the beginning of the second half could generally go ahead in the account. However, it was not in vain that Courtois retained the title of the best goalkeeper in world football over the past year, so he fully coped with the blows of Modric and Kovacic at a crucial moment.
Interestingly, there wasn’t even a need to play specifically for the “chessboard”, because the opponents seemed to have dropped out of the game at a crucial moment late in the game. And if it hadn’t been for Lukaku’s missed opportunities, then Martinez’s other departments would have flown in, who, with the problematic defense of his opponents, failed to create as many goal chances as possible. Maybe then someone other than Romelu could implement them then.
The final whistle left Croatia with five points and second place in the F-quartet in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Zlatko Dalic’s team will thus participate in the round of 16 of this tournament, and Belgium completed their performance with four points.
World Championship. Group stage. Group F. 3rd round.
Croatia – Belgium – 0:0
Dendonker, 67
Croatia: Livakovic – Sosa, Guardiol, Lovren, Yuranovich – Kovacic (Mayer, 90+2), Brozovic, Modric – Perisic, Livaya (Petkovic, 64), Kramaric (Pasalic, 64).
Belgium: Courtois – Vertonghen, Alderweireld, Dendonker (Thielemans, 72) – Chestnuts, de Bruyne, Witsel, Meunier (E. Hazard, 88) – Carrasco (Doku, 72), Mertens (Lukaku, 46), Trossard (T. Hazard, 58 ).
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Wizenshave, England).
Stage: “Ahmed bin Ali” (Er Rayyan, Qatar).
Shots (on goal): 11 (4) – 15 (4)
Corner kick: 2 – 4
Offside: 4 – 0.
CROATIA – BELGIUM. ONLINE TRANSMISSION OF THE MATCH
Temperature: 24°C
