ForNeymar,Brazil When Fellaini was key pawn in Belgian strategy
Belgium defend out of their skins to record a 21 win as the Selecao come short once again
Thibaut Courtois (in pic) made some outstanding saves to deny Brazil at several key moments. First, he thwarted Coutinho in the 37th minute after the Brazilian had cut inside from the corner to unleash a powerful curling effort towards the bottom right but Courtois did well to tip it round the post.
In the 63rd minute, After Belgium had taken a two-goal lead into the break, it was inevitable that Brazil would attack with all their might. But the Red Devils’ backline, well marshalled by Vincent Kompany, stood firm, making numerous key tackles and interceptions to deny the Brazilians.
With Brazil piling on pressure in the second half, even Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku fell back to help out. Player Thomas Meunier Jan Vertonghen Marouane Fellaini Vincent Kompany TICB 4 3 3 2 0 2 2 2 1 1 3 7
Toby Alderweireld 2 1 10 (T: Tackles, I: interceptions,
C: Clearances, B: Blocks) Belgium’s creative maestros, Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard, delivered their best performance of the tournament. Marouane Fellaini’s presence allowed De Bruyne to play his natural and more attacking game, rather than in the deep-lying playmaker role he has been operating in so far. The duo combined well, Brazil had an astounding 26 attempts on the Belgian goal with nine of those on target and 10 of them blocked. Two of their best chances were wasted by Renato Augusto and Philippe Coutinho.
Substitute Augusto ran through the centre of the Belgium defence just five minutes after scoring from a header, to set himself through on goal but only Douglas Costa dribbled into the Belgian area from the right. His shot was low and hard but was parried away by Courtois.
The most crucial save of the night came four minutes into second half injury-time. Costa came in from the right to slip the ball across the face of the box for Neymar, who opened up his body and attempted to curl the ball into the top right. But Courtois, at full stretch, got his fingertips to it to tip over the bar. 2 0 1 2 3 outclassing Brazil with their clever and quick passing.
Hazard’s approach in the last 15 minutes of the game must be commended. He made space and dragged the ball into wide positions in the opponent’s half on his own, winning fouls and running down the clock fairly. managed to shoot wide from the edge of the box.
Coutinho’s delightful dinked pass to Augusto had got Brazil back into the game. But in 84th minute, the Barcelona winger passed up a golden opportunity to draw level. A cut-back by Neymar found an in-rushing Coutinho, who failed to open up his body and shot miles wide of the far post. time when more than 100 different players have scored in a single World Cup. The record of 116 different goal scorers was set at Brazil in 2014.
different player Kevin De Bruyne became to score in this World Cup. His second goal in Belgium's 2-1 victory over Brazil was also the 150th of this edition. Brazil have now been eliminated by European sides in each of the last four editions of the World Cup
Lost to France in quarter-finals.
Lost to Netherlands in quarters.
Lost to Germany in the semi-finals. different players have scored for Belgium in this World Cup. Only Italy in 2006 and France in 1982 (10 each) have had more players scoring in a single tournament. matches Brazil have played in the World Cup, joining Germany for the record for most matches in history. They had already surpassed Germany's 226 goals in the 2-0 win against Mexico. R Augusto 76 Fernandinho 13-OG De Bruyne 31 Belgium switched to 4-3-3 against Brazil with Jan Vertonghen and Thomas Meunier playing more as full-backs throughout the match. Hitherto, Vertonghen was used as part of a three-back formation with Vincent Kompany and Toby Alderweireld but on Friday, he shifted wide to tackle the problem which would have been created by Neymar and Marcelo.
The ease with which
Belgium adapted to the change can be contrasted with how Argentina struggled when they opted for three backs against Croatia. Just another reason why Belgium are in the semis and Argentina are home. Off target
18
On target
9
Off target
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On target
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The 4-3-3 formation also meant Kevin de Bruyne would play as a false nine. Like he would at Everton, Roberto Martinez got Romelu Lukaku (in pic) to go wide on the right to ensure that Brazil could be stretched by Lukaku and Eden Hazard who could attack Fagner, Brazil’s weakest link at the back.
It also meant Marcelo would think twice before galloping up and when he did, Lukaku could have space to exploit.
One of the enduring memories of Belgium’s 2-1 win over Brazil in Kazan last night will be Marouane Fellaini’s constant hounding of Neymar throughout the game, particularly in the first half.
The Manchester United midfielder isn’t the cleanest of tacklers, nor is he the most technically gifted. But he can do a job. In England, he has often been Jose Mourinho’s plan B, brought on late into games with United the chasing side. He would be target man then, with United teammates lobbing balls into the box hoping the big Belgian would finish one off. On other occasions, he would be tasked with keeping the ball and protecting slender leads. In some games, he would be chasing opposition players, pestering them, frustrating them.
His brute strength as well as his intelligence in the final third mean that there are few better utility players in world football than him. Perhaps that is the reason why he is so popular among his coaches.
On Friday night, Neymar was heckled, bullied by Fellaini after Roberto Martinez rang the changes to his Belgium side.
Fellaini and Axel Witsel’s midfield presence meant that Kevin de Bruyne had more space to play up front. Instead of using the Manchester City star in a traditional No. 10 role though, Martinez played him as a false nine, with Romelu Lukaku to his right and Eden Hazard to his left.
Brazil, with one of the strongest left flanks – Neymar, Philippe Coutinho and Marcelo – suddenly had some major issues.
Lukaku was a constant menace down that wing. His runs meant that Marcelo, often so influential in attacks, was forced deeper down. With Thomas Meunier manning the right wing for Belgium, and Fellaini and Toby Alderweireld helping keep a check on Neymar and Countinho, Martinez ensured that his side won dominance in that key area early on.
The crucial piece in Martinez’s approach was the positioning of his attacking triumvirate — Lukaku, Hazard and De Bruyne.
While Lukaku dragged
Everyone thinks Lukaku is just goals but I want to be seen as an allrounder. Providing assists is also important and this year I have provided more. FOULS OFFSIDES CORNERS YELLOW CARDS NIZHNY NOVGOROD:
Starting with Marouane Fellaini (in pic) and Nacer Chadli seemed as much a reward for what they did against Japan as it was to stifle if not intimidate Brazil’s playmakers.
The cute passes of Philippe Coutinho or Neymar weren’t going to feet because big bodies were being put on the line in Brazil’s front third and Belgium’s three midfielders — Axel Witsel being the other one — were cutting out the angles. Miranda and Marcelo wide, space opened up for De Bruyne down the middle, making the Manchester City player suddenly as decisive as he has been for his club this past season.
It was Lukaku’s pace and sheer determination that allowed De Bruyne space and time to shoot for Belgium’s second goal, a counter-attack that exposed the shortcomings of a Brazilian defence that hadn’t conceded since Switzerland’s controversial goal in the opening game.
Time seemed to drag on in the second half as Brazil piled on the pressure but Martinez’s team, aided by a bit of luck in a game of fine margins, held on for the win.
“I have never lost a game on the tactics board. It’s the execution that matters,” Martinez would tell after the game.
In hindsight, it may sound a bit arrogant. But there is little faulting Martinez’s approach against Brazil, who, arguably, boasted of the most balanced side in this tournament. The Spanish tactician had made his name in Britain, first coaching Swansea with relative success in the third and second tiers of English football and then Wigan, with whom he remarkably won the FA Cup in 2013. Martinez’s tactical nous in knockout tournaments has never been in question. Even during his tumultuous final season at Everton, he managed to lead the club to the semi-finals of the League Cup and the FA Cup.
Perhaps it was the reason why the Belgian federation had chosen him to take over the reins following the underwhelming stint of Marc Wilmots. It is a decision that has paid dividends at this World Cup. But both Martinez and Belgium will know they can go two steps further and lift the title in Moscow in over a week’s time. Brazil countered brilliantly in the second half by shifting from 4-2-3-1 to 4-4-2 with Roberto Firmino replacing Willian and Gabriel Jesus going wide. From dealing with one striker — Jesus — the Belgian central defensive duo now had to deal with two upfront.
Belgium were forced to cede superiority in the midfield as it became one-way traffic for most of the second half. But they held on through a combination of keeping their concentration under enormous pressure, putting bodies on the line and the brilliance of Thibaut Courtois which saw them seal their semi-final spot where they will face France.