Shock victory for Mexico
MEXICO stunned defending champions Germany 1-0 in their opening World Cup match in Moscow yesterday.
PSV Eindhoven winger Hirving Lozano fired the impressive Mexicans into a deserved 35th-minute lead and despite intense second-half pressure Germany were unable to salvage an equaliser.
Joachim Lõw’s side are attempting to become the first country since Brazil in 1962 to retain their title.
● Belgium coach Roberto Martinez believes Eden Hazard can be one of the stars of the World Cup as the Chelsea man prepares to lead his nation into their tournament opener against Panama.
Hazard is the captain of a supremely talented Red Devils side who are determined to improve on runs to the quarterfinals at each of the last two major tournaments.
The 27-year-old attacking midfielder is fresh from winning the FA Cup with Chelsea, scoring the only goal in the final against Manchester United.
Hazard at his best could be the tournament’s standout player, and he will take to the field today at Sochi’s Fisht Stadium, the same venue where Cristiano Ronaldo scored a stunning hat-trick for Portugal against Spain on Friday.
“I think Eden is in a great moment of his career, look at his age, he is the captain, in terms of leadership – he never finds it difficult to show for the ball,” said Martinez on the eve of the game.
“In his one on one situations he is as good as anyone in the world,” said Martinez.
Hazard is surrounded by outstanding attacking talents, from Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne to Napoli’s Dries Mertens and Manchester United’s Romelu Lukaku.
Such a concentration of quality explains why they are so strongly fancied in a group also containing England.
“You cannot compare one player to another, but I just feel now we have players in great moments of their careers and they are ready to make a real mark in the World Cup. Kevin De Bruyne is in exactly the same moment,” added Martinez.
The Spaniard, whose press conferences are conducted entirely in English, is perhaps exactly what is required by a Belgian side who have in the past been handicapped by divisions between Flemish and French-speaking groups in the squad.
“We respect immensely Panama – they are one of the stories of the World Cup,” said Martinez, who is without injured defenders Vincent Kompany and Thomas Vermaelen. —