HOW MARTINEZ MASTERCLASS PUT BRAZIL ON THE BACK FOOT

BELGIUM coach Roberto Martinez is being hailed as a genius after producing the tactical masterstroke which ended the World Cup hopes of tournament favourites Brazil on Friday.

In the 3-2 win against Japan in the last 16, Martinez opted for his favoured 3-4-3 formation, with Kevin de Bruyne in central midfield where his impact was minimal.

Up front, Martinez used Dries Mertens and Eden Hazard

either side of top scorer Romelu Lukaku.

Having dodged a bullet against the Japanese, Martinez made some radical changes against Brazil, opting for a flat back four and bringing Marouane Fellaini and Nacer Chadli into a threeman midfield. But it was up front when he sprang a real surprise, playing Lukaku and Hazard out wide either side of De Bruyne, who operated as a withdrawn No 9, a tactic that utterly threw the Brazilians.