Batshuayi spares Belgium blushes as Canada can’t strike killer blow
IN MANY ways, it was the most captivating of all the surprises which the past few days have delivered up here.
Not the scoreline, which protects Belgium’s record as one of the most clinical World Cup group stage performers of the past eight years. But in the exquisite, at times breathtaking, football of a Canadian side determined to make up for lost years. Perhaps the Canadian spirit was to be expected, given that the ethos of this team was forged in Leeds. Manager John Herdman coached four times a week as a student in the city, setting up an offshoot of the city’s Brazilian Soccer Schools — where the watchword was ‘energy’. That was the overwhelming quality of his Canada team, too, when they returned to this stage for the first time in 36 years. Belgium, who had won seven World Cup group stage matches in a row and had not lost one since 1994, were steamrolled by a team intent on pressing the life out of them. Canada’s athleticism was giddying to watch — one of the most refreshing 45 minutes at this World Cup, propelled by the stepovers and slalom runs of Alphonso Davies and Junior Hoilett. Stephen Eustaquio was the technician, stringing the enterprise together.
The enormous moment arrived early, 10 minutes in, when Tajon Buchanan’s half-volley was ruled by VAR to have struck Yannick Carrasco on the arm and Canada were presented with a penalty. Davies did not strike it well and Thibaut Courtois dived to his right to save his fifth penalty of the nine he has faced in 2022. If Davies was affected by this, he certainly didn’t show it. He played in dancing shoes, running into the box and leaving Youri Tielemans on the seat of his pants. Canada might not have the most distinctive choral repertoires — ‘Ooh, ah Canada’ to the tune of ‘We are staying up’ — but they had the same joyous support that Wales got from the same sections of seating here earlier this week. Carrasco, who was eviscerated
by pace, and Tielemans didn’t make it out for the second half — though by the time the interval arrived, Belgium had a lead that only the most fervent of their fans would have called justified. It was hardly a goal in the Roberto Martinez mould — a lumped ball forward which the otherwise ineffectual Michy Batshuayi half-volleyed home. That’s what a collective 925 caps buys you. The question for Belgians is whether that kind of experience — a once-golden generation coming together for a final shot at glory — equates to an ageing, tired team. Martinez has brushed off the notion that he has failed to bring through a new group, though this was a brutal exposition of the damage exuberant youth can cause an ageing squad. The expectation was that Canada would wilt in the second half, though this didn’t happen. As they continued to press and threaten, Eustaquio lifted a ball to Jonathan David at the back post, only for his header to drop just wide. And when Kevin De Bruyne accelerated into space and crossed for Batshuayi, right back Richie Laryea sprinted into a fantastic recovering challenge. He screamed into the night sky. Canada will reflect on the need to finish far better. Belgium will reflect that they need something monumentally better if they are to see out three weeks here.
(3-4-2-1): Courtois 8; Dendoncker 5.5, Alderweireld 6, Vertonghen 6.5; Castagne 5, Tielemans 5 (Onana 46min, 6.5), Witsel 6, Carrasco 4 (Meunier 46, 6); De Bruyne 6.5, Hazard 5.5 (Trossard 62, 6); Batshuayi 6.5 (Openda 78). Scorer: Batshuayi 44.
Booked: Carrasco, Meunier, Onana. Manager: Roberto Martinez 6.
CANADA (3-4-2-1): Borjan 6; Johnston 6, Vitoria 7, Miller 6.5; Laryea 7.5 (Adekugbe 74, 6), Hutchinson 6.5 (Kone 58, 6), Eustaquio 7.5 (Osorio 81), DAVIES 8.5; Buchanan 6.5 (Millar 81), Hoilett 7.5 (Larin 58, 6); David 5.5. Booked: Davies, Johnston.
Manager: John Herdman 7.
Referee: Janny Sikazwe (Zambia) 7. Attendance: 40,432.