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. Not the scoreline, which protected Belgium’s record as one of the most clinical World Cup group-stage performers of the past eight years. But the exquisite, at times breathtaking, football of Canada. English manager John Herdman coached four times a week as a student in Leeds, 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, as 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. Their athleticism was giddying as they produced 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. Their big moment arrived ten minutes in, when Tajon Buchanan’s half-volley was ruled by VAR to have struck Yannick Carrasco on the arm and Canada were awarded a penalty. Davies did not strike it well and Thibaut Courtois dived to his right to save his fifth spot-kick of the nine he has faced in 2022. If Davies was affected, he didn’t show it, running into the box at one stage and leaving Youri Tielemans on the seat of his pants. Eviscerated by pace, Carrasco didn’t make it out for the second half, and neither did Tielemans — though by the time the interval arrived Belgium had a lead that only their most fervent 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. This Belgian team had a collective 925 caps, but the question 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 suggestion he has failed to bring through a new group, though this was a brutal example of the damage exuberant youth can cause an ageing squad. ‘Canada deserved to be better than us in the way they played,’ he admitted. ‘I think the result reflects the things that we had to do and the way we defended for each other and took our chance. It’s a win and we need to play better and to grow.’ The expectation was that Canada would wilt in the second half. Yet they continued to press and threaten, Eustaquio lifting a ball to Jonathan David at the back post, only for his header to drop just wide. When Kevin De Bruyne accelerated into space and crossed for Batshuayi, rightback Richie Laryea sprinted into a fantastic recovering challenge. Canada will reflect on the need to finish far better. ‘I’m proud of the performance but you need to take three points in your first game,’ said Herdman. ‘We had an opportunity to be top of the group tonight — that was the mission and we missed it.’ As for Belgium, they need something monumentally better if they are to see out three weeks here.
BELGIUM (3-4-2-1): Courtois 8; Dendoncker 5, Alderweireld 6, Vertonghen 6; Castagne 5, Tielemans 5 (Onana 46), Witsel 6, Carrasco 4 (Meunier 46); De Bruyne 6, Hazard 5 (Trossard 62); Batshuayi 6 (Openda 78). Subs
not used: Casteels, Mignolet, Debast, Faes, Theate, Doku, Hazard, Mertens, Vanaken, De Ketelaere. Booked: Carrasco, Meunier, Onana.
CANADA (3-4-2-1): Borjan 6; Johnston 6, Vitoria 7, Miller 6; Laryea 7 (Adekugbe 74), Hutchinson 6 (Kone 58), Eustaquio 7 (Osorio 81), Davies 7; Buchanan 6 (Millar 81), Hoilett 7 (Larin 58); David 5. Subs not used: St Clair, Pantemis, Cornelius, Waterman, Fraser, Kaye, Piette, Wotherspoon, Cavallini, Ugbo. Booked: Davies, Johnston.
Man of the match: Thibaut Courtois. Referee: Janny Sikazwe (Zambia). Att: 40,432.