Who: Belgium vs Croatia, Group F
The place: Al-Rayyan Stadium
When: Thursday, December 1, at 6pm (15:00 GMT)
FIFA rating: Belgium (2), Croatia (12)
Hypothesis over Belgium’s demise is tremendously exaggerated, Croatia’s head coach Zlatko Dalic mentioned forward of Thursday’s decisive showdown between the 2 Group F sides.
“We're enjoying towards the second-best soccer workforce on this planet and so they had been primary,” he instructed reporters on Wednesday.
Certainly, the Purple Devils, as Belgium are identified, are at the moment ranked behind solely Brazil by FIFA. However whereas Dalic is aware of his workforce can’t take them calmly, Belgium stand on the precipice of a shock World Cup exit as they head into Thursday’s match.
Belgium’s opening sport towards Canada noticed them outplayed for giant components of the 90 minutes, and so they had been fortunate to flee with three factors after some wayward ending from the opposition.
They had been additional humbled of their second match when a rampant Morocco defeated them with two second-half targets. Belgium’s flat efficiency led Kevin de Bruyne to say his workforce, which got here third on the 2018 World Cup, is “too previous” to attain World Cup success this yr.
Later, studies emerged that there had been a dressing room argument between De Bruyne, Eden Hazard and veteran defender Jan Vertonghen. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has since dismissed these studies as “invented tales”.
What’s positively actual is the danger of elimination the Belgians face as they tackle Croatia, who've loved a greater begin to the World Cup.
Croatia performed out a cagey goalless draw towards Morocco of their opening match however fired 4 previous Canada of their second sport.
Each groups reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals, with Croatia beating England 2-1 in further time and Belgium narrowly dropping to eventual winners France 1-0.
Belgium, who head into the ultimate group stage match with solely three factors, should win to ensure qualification. A draw would suffice provided that Canada beat Morocco by a margin of 4 targets of their Group F sport, which will likely be performed on the identical time.
Croatia have a less complicated path to the Spherical of 16. A draw would assure qualification. However Dalic dominated out any notion that his workforce can be pleased to play for a draw.
“We are going to play as we did towards Canada, top quality, excessive tempo. It’s going to be a troublesome sport,” he mentioned.
Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku, who has been scuffling with a thigh damage, may begin for Belgium after approaching as an alternative towards Canada. Defensive midfielder Amadou Onana is suspended after receiving two yellow playing cards within the first two video games and can possible get replaced by Youri Tielemans.
Regardless of the workforce’s struggles thus far, Belgian defender Timothy Castagne dismissed recommendations that the aspect was in hassle.
“The primary two video games had been inferior to we hoped. We didn’t present all the things we're able to,” Castagne mentioned. “However we aren't in disaster.”
It’s unclear whether or not Ivan Perisic, the Tottenham Hotspur winger who claimed two assists towards Canada, will be capable to begin for Croatia after being harm. He may be changed by Dinamo Zagreb’s Mislav Orsic.
The sport between the top-ranked sides of Group F was all the time going to be a tricky contest. As one of many last matches of a still-undecided group, it's now a decisive contest that would crush desires or carry hopes.
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