IT’S COMING HOME...TO EUROPE
Belgium stun Brazil so it’s six teams left — and all Europeans
At the end, they were a picture of devastation — Neymar sprawled on the turf and Fernandinho flat on his back, staring into the night sky after a third loss at the quarter-final stage in the last four World Cups.
What Brazil discovered last night is that all the old assurances about football supremacy have gone. Belgium, a nation of 11million, have developed the technical and tactical capacity to beat Brazil, a nation of 207million.
they out-thought and outplayed them for 75 minutes of stunning counter-attacking football from which tite’s side could not find a way back, despite two gilt-edged chances in a pulsating finish.
there will be an understandable sense of South American injustice. As the Belgians tired, Brazil seemed justified in their demands for a penalty when Gabriel Jesus nutmegged Jan Vertonghen and was clattered by Vincent Kompany. VAR ruled that the ball had already run out of play, though it was in play at the moment of Kompany’s contact.
But Belgium did enough. their golden generation delivered at last, displaying a level of attacking talent more usually associated with Brazilians.
the game was won by an appreciation of the game’s more prosaic demands. Marouane Fellaini, so often maligned, delivered a monumental performance to command midfield. But Roberto Martinez’s tactics were smarter, surprising Brazil during a first half which put the game out of their reach.
Martinez switched Romelu Lukaku to the right of the attacking line and created space to deploy Kevin De Bruyne as a withdrawn striker, driving forward between the midfield and defensive lines. the usual back three became a four as soon as Belgium lost possession, with thomas Meunier dropping back.
‘When you play Brazil, you have to get a tactical advantage,’ said Martinez last night. ‘It would be too easy to hope you can bring your game and win. We had to be brave, tactically.’
the suspension of Casemiro — the granite-like presence in front of the Brazil defence — had seemed beforehand to create a chink of light for the Belgians. that was how it transpired as the breathtaking pace of De Bruyne, along with Lukaku and hazard, blew a hole through their heart.
the beginnings of this outcome lay in a Brazil mistake. Nacer Chadli’s inswinging corner shaved Kompany’s head and was diverted in off Fernandinho’s shoulder.
As they looked to level, Brazil left space and Belgium had them where they wanted them.
Lukaku’s contribution had been erratic for the first half-hour but when he is allowed to gather the ball and charge, he is monumental. he seized possession in front of his own penalty area, stormed beyond Fernandinho and drove a ball out right to De Bruyne.
Marcelo allowed De Bruyne time to stop, assess and take aim. he dispatched the ball into the bottom left-hand corner.
‘We switched things up, tactically speaking,’ De Bruyne said. ‘Brazil didn’t know what they had to do. Brazil were better in second half but even then we managed to create opportunities.’
Vertonghen contributed much to Belgium’s fierce defensive resolve. For Brazil, there was no way through. Neymar was a marginal presence. Jesus skewed a headed chance wide. Coutinho was reduced to pot shots.
Brazil boss tite went all out to rewrite history. Never, on 130 occasions of a team being two goals down at half-time in a World Cup match, had one come back to win. Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino was sent into a 4-2-4 formation.
Jesus made way for Douglas Costa on the hour and he was dangerous. thibaut Courtois leapt to his right to save from him.
But it was not one-way traffic. Chadli dispossessed Fernandinho