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Belgium opened the World Cup with a 1-0 victory against Canada on Wednesday night, but the Belgian team didn’t impress anyone.
For Kevin De Bruyne, it was a very frustrating evening. The Manchester City star struggled to get it to click. In the first half, De Bruyne only managed 15 (!) passes, of which only six were successful.
– It’s not often that we see such negative body language from De Bruyne as in the first half. Several times he scolded his teammates from the back and threw his arms in the air. He wasn’t involved much. It’s not his fault as Belgium simply didn’t set up a game in Canada’s half, commented TV 2 pundit Jesper Mathisen.
– I think I’ve never seen so many bad passes from De Bruyne, said former Newcastle and Tottenham player Jermaine Jenas. BBC.
FRUSTRATION: Kevin De Bruyne didn’t quite start against Canada. Photo: Hassan Ammar
The second half was also difficult for De Bruyne. Five minutes before the end, the 31-year-old fired a very high shot from a good distance.
– It’s a good picture of how the evening was for De Bruyne. There was very little accuracy in what is normally one of the most accurate straight feet in the world, Mathisen continued.
– That’s not the class we almost always see in this man, TV 2 commentator Øyvind Alsaker said of De Bruyne.
FAMILY IN THE Tribune: Although it was a disappointing game for him against Canada, the Manchester City player could smile when he was able to meet his family after the game. Photo: Martin Meissner/AP
Lukaku’s replacement has decided
Michy Batshuayi, who started in the lead in Romelu Lukaku’s absence through injury, scored the game’s only goal just before half-time.
By this time, Canada had dominated the Belgian stars for most of the half, but Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois got in the way. Among other things, he saved a penalty from Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies.
What are you doing, Rüdiger?
– There has rarely been a more undeserved lead at half-time, commented Alsaker before the start of the second period.
Canada continued to dominate in the second half but struggled in the final third. The Canadians eventually ran out of steam and it ended in a 1-0 win over Roberto Martínez’s Belgian boys.
– It was a tough game. Canada was better than us. They came to the WC with a lot of enthusiasm, and they have a lot of speed and power, says Martínez BBC After the game.
– We have to show ourselves in a better light. I’m happy we won the game, and today was more important than performance, said the former Wigan and Everton manager.
– Canada cheated on penalties
In the first half, Canada’s players asked for another penalty kick. Tajon Buchanan was knocked down by Jan Vertonghen, but he was ruled offside. However, the replay showed the ball against Buchanan coming from opponent Eden Hazard. However, VAR chose not to intervene in the decision.
– I don’t understand why the VAR doesn’t intervene. There is no reason for VAR to change this situation, or at least inform the referee, says TV 2 pundit Petter Myhre.
Reacting to a serious mistake by the referee: – Don’t understand!
– Unfortunately, I think it has become a trend that it takes more to give a new penalty if a penalty has already been given on VAR in the match. I think that’s why he’s being cheated here, says former Rosenborg player and Odd Mushaga Bakenga in TV 2’s studio WC.
Morocco and Croatia played scoreless earlier in the day.
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