BELGIUM PANAMA
BELGIUM manager Roberto Martinez warned England of what lies ahead after his star Eden Hazard was kicked to shreds during their victory over Group G minnows Panama.
Two goals from Romelu Lukaku and a wonderful strike from Dries Mertens put an end to Panamania in Sochi as Belgium, despite a slow start, kicked off their campaign in style.
But the postmatch discussion was as much about Panama’s forthright style, which brought them five yellow cards and left Hazard limping and bandaged as he left the stadium.
Considering England face Panama next – in Nizhny Novgorod on Sunday – it is something Gareth Southgate may want to consider.
“You can see the yellow cards were mounting. It is a worry that in any of those tackles he could get hurt. That’s a way of trying to stop him,” said Martinez.
“Everyone is allowed to prepare games in the way you can, that’s part of the rules. But you run the risk of players being sent off – and I worry that we lose the opportunity to enjoy the quality of a player like Eden.
“Not just for Eden, either, any player with ability to take players on.”
Panama coach Hernan Dario Gomez, however, says his team have no intention of going out to kick England and defended his approach.
He said: “We are a very organised team. We play tactically. We never have the intention to be tough – but they are strong men.
“We try not to hurt anybody. We don’t have bad intentions. We’re going to play a very strong rival in England next but we have learned a lot today.
“This was a very emotional day for us and we are happy. The whole nation is happy. It was an incredible experience and we were not bad. Some people thought we might lose by seven goals and it was 3-0.”
You have to feel for the Panamanians, who were brave and heroic in the first half as they reached half-time with the match still goalless.
Belgian winger Yannick Carrasco had the first real chance of the game after six minutes but his shot was saved by keeper Jaime Penedo, who then spectacularly kept out Mertens seconds later.
Hazard also wasted a glorious opportunity, latching on to a terrible back-pass by Roman Torres but sending his shot into the sidenetting from close range. When Dinamo Bucharest keeper Penedo – one of the few European-based stars in the Panama side – saved superbly from Hazard after 37 minutes and from Romelu Lukaku after 40 minutes – the dreamers really were dreaming.
Do not forget this Panama side had never qualified for a World Cup before, are ranked 55th in the world and come from a country of only four million inhabitants. You would hardly guess that from the noise their fanatical 5,000 fans made inside the Fisht Stadium – and their heroes did not disappoint.
Yes, they lacked finesse in the final third but they had so much heart and so much energy.
But unfortunately for the underdogs they could not hold out. Within two minutes of the restart, Mertens opened the scoring with a wonderful, dipping volley into the far corner from 12 yards out.
It was 2-0 when Kevin De Bruyne’s fine ball was headed home at the far post by Lukaku – and suddenly the party was over. Especially when Hazard sent the Manchester United man free after 75 minutes and he finished well to wrap up victory.
Panama did have one big chance to look back on, Michael Murillo denied by Thibaut Courtois when