Belgium’s World Cup campaign concludes
Belgium‘s campaign in the World Cup concluded in the quarter-finals following a defeat to Spain. The match saw a determined effort from Rudi Garcia‘s squad, who had navigated a challenging group stage. Despite their valiant fight, the team ultimately bowed out after several key veterans were forced from the action due to injuries.
The team faced significant challenges even before kick-off. Amadou Onana was seen on crutches, having sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the previous round’s victory against the USA. Furthermore, Zeno Debast was not included in the squad due to a disagreement between Belgium and Sporting regarding his fitness. Minutes before the match began, Youri Tielemans was removed from the team sheet after suffering an injury during the warm-up, reportedly a suspected hamstring issue. He was replaced by Hans Vanaken.
Injuries impact key players
The match itself saw Jérémy Doku return to the starting lineup, displaying more dynamism than in earlier group stage performances. He found space against Pedro Porro and Lamine Yamal, creating opportunities by cutting into channels and drawing Spain‘s midfield out of position. However, this proactiveness also left him vulnerable defensively, particularly when Spain played directly, leading to Fábian Ruiz‘s opening goal after Porro prepared a cross.
Belgium equalised in the 39th minute when Charles De Ketelaere headed home a goal. The play originated from Kevin De Bruyne threading a pass to Timothy Castagne, who then crossed the ball. De Ketelaere, who had previously scored twice in the last 16, deftly positioned himself to convert the header, marking Belgium‘s first shot on target.
Despite Spain quickly re-establishing their dominance, Belgium found some success through Doku‘s dribbling, which created space for teammates like Maxim De Cuyper. A potential second goal nearly materialised from a give-and-go between Doku and De Bruyne, but a deflected attempt fell to De Cuyper, who could not convert.
The team showed greater resolve compared to their performance in Qatar four years prior and their exit in the last 16 of Euro 2024. Leandro Trossard was substituted after an hour, making way for Romelu Lukaku as part of a triple change that also saw De Ketelaere move wider. Axel Witsel also entered the game, bringing all four veterans from the 2014 World Cup squad onto the pitch with half an hour remaining.
Late drama and a goalkeeping change
As the match progressed, Belgium‘s older players appeared increasingly stretched. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, despite making a crucial save, was forced off in the 70th minute after massaging his left hip. Visibly emotional, Courtois left the field to applause from both sets of fans and was replaced by Senne Lammens, who was making his World Cup debut.
Kevin De Bruyne also struggled with fitness, taking a seat after an 80th-minute lob. He received a yellow card five minutes later for a challenge on Ferran Torres, leading to Garcia using his final substitution to replace him with Alexis Saelemaekers before his hobbles could be further exploited by Spain.
The decisive moment came late in the game. Pau Cubarsí took a shot from outside the box, which Lammens was unable to secure, spilling the ball into the penalty area. Mikel Merino reacted quickly, pouncing on the loose ball and scoring the winning goal in the 88th minute, sending Spain to their first semi-final since 2010. Lammens was consoled by his teammates after the error, while Courtois watched on, visibly dismayed.
While Courtois may potentially feature in a future World Cup as an elder statesman, this tournament is likely the last for several members of Belgium‘s talented generation. The team’s performance against the European champions, though ending in defeat, demonstrated their pride until the final whistle.
Read Also
- Wimbledon: Arthur Fery to use home crowd advantage against Alexander Zverev in semi-final
- Miami: England favourites to reach World Cup semi-finals, says Norway boss
- Wigan Warriors overcome Warrington Wolves with young players impressing
- Spain advance to World Cup semi-finals after late Merino strike against Belgium
Source: theguardian.com
George Hartwell is the Senior Football Correspondent at News-GB.org, covering the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side with twelve years of reporting experience. He reported on West Country football before national coverage. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from the University of the West of England and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Bristol, he watches grassroots football and writes a tactics column. “Tactics tell you more than any scoreline.”