The boys from Brussels face Panama, Central America’s World Cup debutantes, in Sochi.
Advertisement
Danger man: England’s defenders will have faced far better forwards but Blas Perez, Panama’s joint-record goal scorer, nonetheless deserves respect and should be treated with caution. One of the stories of the World Cup.
It took them 45 minutes, well 46, to get going but when they did Belgium showed their clash against Panama.
“I think we will have to beat Sweden if we want to get to the last 16”, said South Korea coach Shin Tae-yong.
“We are privileged to have this group of players, not just with their skills – it is more their attitude, and the way that they are ambassadors for Belgian football”, said Martinez.
And if they can grow into the competition, like they grew into this game, the Belgiums will be a real handful for any team with an eye on taking home the title.
Vincent Kompany will remain with the Belgium squad at the World Cup despite now being sidelined by a groin injury, coach Roberto Martinez confirmed on Sunday.
England have won three of their last four matches and are unbeaten since June of a year ago, when they lost to France in a friendly.
Coach Herman Gomez says “Panama played with dignity” and that the final score “should have been worse”.
The trend over the decades has been clear: European teams win more at World Cups taking place in Europe, and teams from the Americas win more at World Cups taking place outside of Europe.
For the likes of Manchester City skipper Kompany, now 32, “it’s now or never” if Belgium are to go one better than their neighbourly rivals, twice-finalists the Dutch, and become by far the smallest nation since Uruguay in 1950 to lift the World Cup. The highlight of the lot, though, was Belgium’s second (Lukaku’s first), a simple header created by the outside of Kevin De Bruyne’s right foot. The Belgium boss wanted a mature performance against a Panama side he refused to underestimate.
“We want to play a big role on the pitch. We are determined to go down in history”.
“And I’m sure a player like Boyata is going to do well”.
Steven Gerrard struck after three and a half minutes against the United States in 2010 while in 2006, a third-minute own goal from Paraguay’s Carlos Gamarra was enough for a 1-0 England win in 2006.
Advertisement
“We aren’t favourites, but anything can happen if we have a good day”, said the Colombian, according to fifa.com.
