Croatia passes and widens the Belgian gap

Croatia passes and widens the Belgian gap

The Croats let some 'red devils' do without gunpowder

MADRID, 1 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Croatia will be in the round of 16 of the World Cup after drawing against Belgium (0-0) in the third and last day of Group F, in a duel in which Croatia let some 'red devils' do it, which went further but did not have Success, especially in the countless occasions of Romelu Lukaku, and that they go home amid rumors of an internal breach.

The Croatian team started better, looked for the goal that didn't come and understood that their match was easy; have the ball and be organized behind. The tie was worth it and the passage of time made Belgium more and more nervous, they attacked with their hearts and not their heads and there, Croatia, was comfortable.

Belgium had several occasions to achieve the only goal they needed to stay alive in this Qatar 2022 event. But, without success, Croatia increasingly castled further back, even enjoyed a counter to put a 1-0 that would seal their pass, and it is true that in the end they also had to pray and breathe.

The Spanish coach of Belgium, Roberto Martínez, changed the scheme at half-time and with the entry of Jeremy Doku and Romelu Lukaku managed to intimidate Croatia. The winger faced and left his defenders on the left and right, and the Inter Milan forward created chances and also ran into others; but he did not put any.

Lukaku had the pass. The best, overall, was Kevin De Bruyne who drew magical passes that only he, and a few others, see. But in the end, it was the forward who, fresher, had them on his boots and head. The clearest, a stick at 60' and two forced, unexpected shots in front of the goal line that inexplicably did not move the scoreboard.

Croatia drained water, and in what way, in the final minutes with that Belgian offensive. The good placement of the Croatian defense, and the job well done, even if it was little, by Livakovic did the rest. It wasn't the best night for Luka Modric, but the Real Madrid genius put his teammate Thibaut Courtois to the test on a couple of occasions.

There was a Modric-Courtois pulse, of course. However, the Belgian goalkeeper's best save was against Brozovic, shortly after the restart. At that time, the goalkeeper left alive a Belgium that he was suffering from and that shortly after he would manage to make the change of chip, although without a prize.

In the first part, without so many nerves on the surface, Croatia did want to play and attack and in fact tested Courtois on several occasions who fulfilled his role with flying colours. Let them tell Perisic, Modric or Brozovic. He did get relief, though, when VAR annulled a 15th-minute penalty that Anthony Taylor initially whistled.

Rumors of internal rift in the Belgium dressing room will surely follow this drawn elimination. The team wanted to, although surely too late. Although, on any other evening, Lukaku would have put his foot or his head in one of those plays of taking his hands, precisely, to his head.

But who gets into the round of 16 is Croatia. It will do so as second in the group, behind a surprising Morocco that won its match against Canada (1-2), and being a possible rival for Spain if the 'Red' goes to the round of 16 as first in the group. And Croatia barely rotated in this duel or made any changes.

CROATIA: Livakovic; Juranovic, Lovren, Guardiol, Sosa; Brozovic, Modric, Kovacic (Majer, min.92); Kramaric (Pasalic, min.64), Perisic; y Livaja (Petkovic, min.64).

BELGICA: Courtois; Meunier (E.Hazard, min.87), Alderweireld, Dendoncker (Tielemans, min.72), Vertonghen, Castagne; Witsel, De Bruyne; Mertens (Lukaku, min.46), Trossard (T.Hazard, min.59) y Carrasco (Doku, min.72).

--REFEREE: Anthony Taylor (ENG). He admonished Dendoncker (min.67) in Belgium.

--ESTADIO: Ahmad bin Ali.