The Inter forward enters the second half, hits the post and devours two more goals: Dalic’s team in the round of 16 as runners-up
The Belgium it doesn’t go beyond that 0-0 against the Croatia in the last match of Group F and is eliminated by World Cup 2022. In a very balanced match full of opportunities, the greatest happens on the right of Lucaentered the second half: the Inter striker, however, fully hits the empty net polethen he devours two more goals and the challenge no longer unlocks. The Diavoli Rossi say goodbye to the competition, while the reigning runners-up qualify as runners-up and will face the winner of Group E.
THE MATCH
The pride of Martinez’s boys actually emerges only in the second half of a match from inside or outside, too little to deserve a place among the top 16 in the world. DeBruyne it lights up only occasionally Mertens And Trossard they are rarely seen and Lukaku betrays by devouring opportunities in bursts. He had also thought about keeping Belgium alive until the end Courteousdecisive in at least three situations in denying Croatia the goal that would have closed the accounts early. Dalic’s team shows off all its qualities, especially in the middle of the pitch, but never finds the right opportunity to break through and in the end settles for a draw. Now he can hope for a miracle of Japan or Costa Ricabut in all probability the super challenge with the will await her in the round of 16 Spain.
The Morocco’s lightning advantage over Canada forces both teams to play without sparing each other and in the 13th minute the Diavoli Rossi have a huge chance with Mertensthat on De Bruyne’s assist opens the plate too much and shoot the stars from great position. A few minutes later, then, a There is also an episode: Taylor whistles the penalty for a foul by Carrasco on Kramaric in the areabut shortly after he is called to the monitor. In fact, the semi-automatic offside detects a millimeter offside of Lovren at the start of the action and the English referee judges the active position, canceling the penalty. The Croatian maneuver is extremely fluid and effective, while Belgium lights up only in gusts, but in the 42nd minute they have another good opportunity, with a Dendoncker lunge not exploited to the fullest by Mertens. All things considered, a lively first half ended 0-0.
At the beginning of the second half Martinez immediately throws himself into the fray Lucainstead of Mertens, to play for everything. The Nerazzurri immediately had a good header opportunity, but the most sensational one happened on the right foot of Kovacic in the 50th minute, deflected for a corner by a great reflection of Courtois. The Real goalkeeper repeats himself twice more, first up Brozovichthen up Modricbut in the 60th minute it was Belgium’s turn to despair: De Bruyne’s pocket for Carraraclose shot blocked by Juranovic that ends up between the feet of Luca. The right foot with a sure shot and an empty net from the Inter striker though it prints in full on the pole. It’s not over, why Big Rom has two more sensational chances in the finalebut in both cases it is not reactive enough to throw the ball in from a few steps e at the triple whistle she can only explode in tears.
THE TABLE
Croatia-Belgium 0-0
Croatia (4-3-3): Livakovic 6; Juranovic 6.5, Lovren 6.5, Gvardiol 7.5, Sosa 6.5; Modric 6.5, Brozovic 6.5, Kovacic 6.5 (45’+2 st Majer sv); Livaja 5.5 (19′ st Petkovic 6.5), Kramaric 6 (19′ st Pasalic 5.5), Perisic 6.
Ct: Dalic 6
Belgium (4-3-3): Courtois 6.5; Meunier 6 (43′ st E. Hazard sv), Alderweireld 6, Vertonghen 6, Chestnuts 5.5; Witsel 5.5, Dendoncker 6 (27′ st Tielemans 6), De Bruyne 6; Carrasco 5.5 (27′ st Doku 6.5), Mertens 5 (1′ st Lukaku 5), Trossard 5 (13′ st T. Hazard 5).
Ct: Martinez 5
Referee: Taylor
Markers:
Ammonite yourself: Dendoncker (B)
Expelled:
Note: recovery 4’+4′
THE STATISTICS
– Belgium missed out on qualifying for the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time since 1998.
– Belgium have only scored once in this World Cup – in their 19 previous World Cup and European Championship participations, only in the 1930 World Cup had they scored fewer.
– Croatia have lost just one of their last 19 matches in all competitions (W12, D6).
– Belgium failed to score in back-to-back World Cup matches for the first time since 1982.
– Thibaut Courtois played his 100th match for Belgium, becoming the first goalkeeper to reach this milestone for Belgium and the seventh overall.
– Belgium have fielded the second oldest starting XI (31 years and 95 days) in a World Cup match in the 21st century, after Australia against Germany in 2010 (31 years and 118 days).
– The Croatia-Belgium first half saw the most shots without a shot on target at the World Cup (nine) since Croatia-Nigeria in 2018 (12).
– The first shot on target of the match came in the 49th minute thanks to Romelu Lukaku, with the 13th total conclusion of the match.
