FIFA World Cup 2018 Report: England 0 - 1 Belgium

From Macdara Ferris in Kaliningrad

This could have been viewed as a match neither team wanted to win as the route to World Cup success was possibly being determined by losing the game and ending in the easy side of the draw. As it was the battle on the pitch was won by Belgium 1-0 against England thanks to a juicy strike by Adnan Januzaj.

He sent Belgium into the next round top of the group and they will face Japan in Rostov with a potential quarter-final against Brazil to come. Meanwhile England face a tricky last 16 tie with Colombia in the Spartak Stadium but Gareth Southgate’s men have the consolation of dropping into the more favourable side of the draw.

As expected having already qualified for the last 16 both managers rang the changes for their final group game – nine for Belgium with one less for England. If it was a friendly the teams might have been called an England selection against a Belgian XI but there were still some high quality players on the pitch even if it wasn’t the most high quality of opening 45 minutes.

The permutations had become clear ahead of kick off that the winner of the group would face Japan in the last 16 with Japan the opponents for the runners up.

Roberto Martinez had dropped the three players who had yellow cards but he didn’t seem to ask the players on the pitch to reign in the tackles but second place wasn’t the worst prize on offer.

With both sides having an identical record, the disciplinary count could have been required to separate the two sides and by half time England were ‘winning’ by two cards to five across the three group games.

The England fans were in fine voice asking “are you watching Germany?” but the “Rule Britannia” chant may not have gone down so well with the Russian locals in Kaliningrad the city that is home to the Russian Baltic Sea fleet.

A timely Gary Cahill slide on ten minutes prevented Michy Batshuayi from getting the opening goal. The ball was creeping across the line but neither goal line technology nor VAR were required by referee Damir Skomina.

Both sides went with three at the back and the midfield was well packed and England played a high line forcing any goalkicks to go long. They pressurised Belgium into conceding four first half corners but it was Belgium who was keeping the opposition goalkeeper on his toes – with ten attempts on goal in the first 45 minutes.

Jordan Pickford had to punch away an early Youri Tielemans shot and he required Trent Alexander-Arnold to block a Marouane Fellaini shot that came from a classic Fellaini chest control from a Thorgan Hazard corner.

The World Cup top scorer so far Harry Kane had been kept on the bench by Gareth Southgate with Jamie Vardy coming in. His early header which drifted away from target was as close as they came in the opening half.

Southgate made a half time switch bringing in Harry Maguire for John Stones. Maguire went on the left of the back three and the first goal of the game came down his side six minutes after he came on.

Adnan Januzaj got the opener with a beautiful strike. He picked it up wide on the right and rolled the ball forward deceiving Danny Rose and then whipped the ball with a sweet left foot strike by Jordan Pickford.

A superb turn mid-way through the second half allowed him to send Marcus Rashford through one-on-one. Rashford should have scored and the ball was going wide anyway but  Courtois got a feather touch to provide some protection for Rashford who got a corner that England could not then exploit.

Pickford pulled off a great save from late substitute Dries Mertens and Fellaini could only find the side netting. At the other Danny Welback’s shot in the final ten minutes needed a timely Fellaini boot to prevent the ball beating Courtois but that was as close as the came.

Belgium’s last competitive defeat came at the hands of Wales at EURO 2016 and with the form they are showing and the calibre of players to return to their team you wouldn’t bet against them going unbeaten in the rest of the tournament. Dark horses they no longer are but a real contender to lift the World Cup trophy on 15 July in Moscow.

As for England, Colombia awaits them in Moscow and they will have confidence that they can get by the South American side. However, the Three Lions have won just six knock out World Cup ties since the lifted the trophy in 1966. They could well add to the tally of knock out victories but ultimately may well fell short of their second overall win.

England:  Jordan Pickford; Phil Jones, John Stones (Harry Maguire h/t), Gary Cahill; Trent Alexander-Arnold (Danny Welbeck 79), Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Eric Dier, Fabian Delph, Danny Rose; Marcus Rashford, Jamie Vardy.

Subs not used: Jack Butland, Nick Pope, Kieran Trippier, Ashley Young, Kyle Walker, Jesse Lingard, Jordan Henderson, Delli Alli, Raheem Sterling, Harry Kane.

Booked: None.

Belgium: Thibaut Courtois; Leander Dendoncker, Dedryck Boyata, Thomas Vermaelen (Vincent Company 74); Nacer Chadli, Marouane Fellaini, Mousa Dembele, Thorgan Hazard; Adnan Januza (Dries Mertens 86), Michy Batshuayi, Youri Tielemans.

Subs not used: Simon Mignolet, Koen Casteels, Toby Alderweireld, Thomas Meunier, Jan Vertonghen, Axel Witsel, Kevin de Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku, Yannick Carrasco.

Booked: Youri Tielemans (20), Leander Dendoncker (33).

Referee: Damir Skomina (Slovenia)

Attendance: 33,973

Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Adnan Januzaj (Belgium).

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— Extratime.ie (@ExtratimeNews) June 28, 2018