Belgian side won’t waffle
SAO PAU - LO — It has been nearly 84 years since the U.S. last beat Belgium in a soccer match, and frankly the there is no good reason to think the strea streak will end on Tuesday in Salvador. That doesn’t mean the Americans have no chance. cha They always have a grinder’s chance, chanc and the ball is still round enough to roll unpredictably. But Belgium is enjoying a sort of rebirth in the sport, a fresh golden gold generation of young stars who a are technically superior to almost almos anybody Jurgen Klinsman Klinsmann can put on the field.
Belgium is not Portugal — an overrate overrated, aging team of overpaid, marquee ma names. The Red Devils are hungry, cocky and on the sort of streak that shoul should scare a lot of people. Eden Hazard, the t team’s star attacking midfielder, wants it that way.
“We intend to carry on w winning — each time, we inspire more fear, fear,” the 23-yearold Chelsea midfielder said here. “That’s ideal in terms of getting the t teams we meet to come at us with their he heads as low as possible.”
With Hazard, and most o of Marc Wilmot’s players, the growing arrogance arr is wellearned. Belgium went und undefeated (8-02) in its World Cup qualif qualifying group in
Europe, running away from Croatia, Serbia and everyone else. Then it captured three straight matches here in Brazil, winning Group H as everyone expected — although not as fluidly as everyone hoped.
“Maybe it hasn’t been very spectacular,” said Wilmots, who scored five World Cup goals himself. “But we’ve achieved something big with one of the youngest squads in the tournament. I’ve been pleased by the discipline, teamwork and patience.”
This is not a perfect side. At times, Belgium has struggled to score goals, and its makeshift back line includes players who appear somewhat out of position. But they are hugely talented and well-rested — Wilmots sat both Hazard and his Chelsea teammate, Romelu Lukaku in the third match, after clinching advancement.
Recent results between Belgium and the U.S. do not favor the Americans. The countries have played each other in two friendlies during Klinsmann’s tenure, one in Brussels and one in Cleveland. Both were one-sided victories for Belgium, in which the winners dominated possession.
“They are full of individual talent, there’s no doubt about it,” Klinsmann said on Friday. “So much talent coming through the Belgian system, it’s admirable. We are aware of that. But we also believe we have enough confidence now going into this game to beat them. We all know we have to go to our extremes and get 100% in each player to make this happen. There’s a lot of respect for the Belgium side.”
The well-paid name players on this team are familiar to all Premier League fans. Marouane Fellaini, with his afrostyle hair, is a midfielder for Manchester United; Kevin Mirallas, a winger for Everton; Moussa Dembele, a Tottenham midfielder; and Vincent Kompany, a central defender for Manchester Cit y; Jan Vertonghen, defender at Tottenham; Thibaut Cour tois, the Chelsea keeper on loan last season to Atletico Madrid.
By comparison, the U.S. had just four players last season in the Premier League, and only Tim Howard was on the roster of a near-top-of-the-table club, Everton.
“These players that play in big clubs, they have that consistency,” Klinsmann said. “The key in a World Cup is try to repeat that time and again, to play to your highest capability. We don’t have that consistency yet throughout a whole year.”
If the Americans have an advantage against Belgium, it is an odd one: Despite their lack of pedigree, they actually have considerably more experience in the World Cup. Howard, Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey and DaMarcus Beasley know what to expect from these biggest matches. The Belgians hadn’t qualified for a World Cup since 2002, so this is entirely new to them.
Wilmots and Klinsmann have a good working relationship. Before the first group match was played, the two coaches planned an empty-stands friendly at the Sao Paulo training facility where the U.S. is based. Wilmots pulled out in a panic over the traffic, however, which is now just as well.
“I think either way it doesn’t matter,” Klinsmann said, of the cancellation. “If we would’ve had that scrimmage, good. I mean we know their team. We played them twice in the last three years. You watch all of their games, you analyze them, it’s all done already by the scouting team. They have everything laid out for the players already in detail about every Belgium player. So we are very familiar with this very strong team.”
Very strong, very young, very arrogant. Ripe for a fall? The Americans will grind and counter, bend and hope not to break. Unfortunately for them, possession is nine-tenths of soccer law.