Unfortunately for it, Belgium tops England to win group

England barely seemed troubled by losing. Belgium appeared to be a reluctant winner.

Such was the curious conclusion to the group stage at the World Cup on Thursday. Neither team needed to win and there was good reason for neither to even want to win.

Belgium did collect the three points, beating England 1- 0, in Kalining grad, and secured first place in the group on Adnan Januzaj’s curling shot. But that might not turn out to be the desirable outcome since the victory diverted Belgium onto the tougher potential path to the final.

Although Belgium gets what appears to be an easier match against Japan in the round of 16, it could get trickier with a victory in Rostov-on-Don on Monday. Brazil, Portugal, France and Argentina are possible future opponents.

“I don’t think you can plan the ideal scenario,” Belgium coach Roberto Martinez said. “You have seen big nations coming very close to elimination, or already eliminated.”

Thanks to a pair of opening victories for both, England and Belgium entered the Group G match knowing theywere already in the second round. Belgium made nine changes and still won. England lost the top spot after dropping Harry Kane, the tournament’s leading scorer, and seven others.

England coach Gareth Southgate could barely contain his delight in finding himself on the less challenging side of the draw. His team will face Colombia on Tuesday in Moscow, followed by possible matchups against Spain, Russia, Croatia, Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland.

“We don’t suffer for (the loss),” Southgate said. “When you are a leader and a manager you have to make decisions that are right for your group and your primary objectives. Sometimes those decisions will be criticized ... but you have to think about the bigger picture.”

For Southgate, it was as much about ensuring players like Kane did not pick up injuries in a game that wasn’t essential. The leading scorer in Russia with five goals watched the match from the bench. So did Romelu Lukaku, who has scored four for Belgium.

GERMANS RETURN HOME » The German squad made a low-key return home after its embarrassing firstround exit at the World Cup, and coach Joachim Loew’s future looks likely to remain unclear for several days. Loew and his squad landed in Frankfurt, where captain Manuel Neuer told reporters that the players are “furious with ourselves” and insisted that the debacle was “nothing to do with the coach.” Germany’s loss to South Korea ended its chances of defending the title it won in 2014, making Loew’s squad the fourth defending champion in the last five World Cups to be knocked out in the group stage. German federation president Reinhard Grindel said an initial analysis of Germany’s failure will be ready next week, “and then I expect the coach will talk about his future.” Loew’s contract runs through 2022.

COLOMBIA 1, SENEGAL 0 » Yerry Mina leapt high above defenders to score on a header in the 74th minute and Colombia defeated Senegal in Samara to advance to the World Cup knockout stage. Senegal became the first team ever eliminated by a new tiebreaker number of yellow cards. Poland defeated Japan 1- 0 in the other group match. Japan and Senegal were tied on all tiebreakers except “fair play points,” based on yellow and red cards. Japan had four yellow cards, Senegal had six. Colombia, which reached the quarterfinals four years ago in Brazil, finished atop its group and is the fourth South American team to advance. Senegal’s elimination means all five African teams are eliminated.

TUNISIA 2, PANAMA1 » Tunisia captain Wahbi Khazri set up a second-half goal and then scored one of his own in the 66th minure to help his side secure its first victory in a World Cup in four decades, in Saransk. Panama had taken the lead in the 33rdminute through an own-goal when Jose Luis Rodriguez’s hard shot deflected off a Tunisia player that sent the goalkeeper the wrong way. Both Group G teams were already eliminated going into thematch.

TWO IRAN PLAYERS LEAVE TEAM » Online bullying just cost Iran one of its top players. Forward Sardar Azmoun said he’s retiring from the national team. Azmoun, 23, was the target of numerous attacks on social media after failing to score in any of Iran’s three group matches at the World Cup. He was sent ob- scenemessages and mocked for his perceived lack of impact. Azmoun said his mother had been recovering from a serious illness, but the insults caused it to flare up again. Between football and his mother, he wrote on Instagram that “I chose my mother.” The Rubin Kazan striker had been built up as Iran’s top goal- scoring threat before the tournament and has scored 23 goals in 36 international appearances. Another forward, 30-year- old Reza Ghoochannejhad, said that he also is leaving the Iran team. He was an unused substitute in all three games. “My mind, my personality and my pride do not allow me” to wear the Iranian national team shirt again, Ghoochannejhad said in his Ins tag ram statement. Iran missed out on qualifying for the knockout stages by one point. The team beat Morocco 1- 0 on an own goal before losing 1-0 to Spain and drawing 1-1 with Portugal.