Stars aplenty in semifinal border battle
After a weekend of dramatic quarterf inal action that saw each game decided in a completely different manner, the 2018 World Cup is down to its final four. On Tuesday, France take on Belgium, their small neighbor to the east, in the first semif inal, a matchup of two of the most star-studded sides in the world. Both sides can score, so the big question will be whether one side, neither of which is managed by a tactical genius, can figure out how to stop the other. Here’s what to expect from the first of this week’s must-see games:
France: Top to bottom, no side at the World Cup is more talented than France. There isn’t a club team in the world that wouldn’t want Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe and Paul Pogba, just to name a few, in its starting lineup. Which is why it’s so frustrating to fans around the world that Les Bleus have rarely played exciting soccer under manager Didier Deschamps, coming closest in a thrilling 4-3 defeat of Argentina in the round of 16. But whether or not its game plan is coherent, the team still has the players and class to beat nearly anyone on the planet on its day.
Belg ium: Belgium may not have as much depth as France, but their offense, the highest scoring at the Cup with 14 goals, may be even better. When they are on, few defenses can deal with Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne, as Brazil learned Friday. But just like his counterpart, manager Roberto Martinez hasn’ t figured how to get the most out of his side, especially on defense. This is a side that was down two to Japan with a little over 20 minutes to go, after all. Of course, Belgium came back in that game, and as they showed then, all that matters is that you score at least one more goal than the other team. Player to Watch: Paul Pogba, France ( below). There has been no more consistent performer for the French this tournament than Pogba, who across five games has shown he really can be the do-everything midfielder fans have dreamed of, starting attacks on offense and stopping them before they amount to anything on defense. Belgium have no one who can match up with him, so if he can continue his fine run of form, France will be in the final. Prediction: Goals galore, but France, with more talent to call upon, comes out on top late.