Dreamy Belgium faces booming Canada
MADRID, 22 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Belgian team opens the World Cup against Canada (8:00 p.m.) in a Group F duel in which the ‘Diables Rouges’ will try to demonstrate their superiority, with the great last chance of their golden generation, against Canadians who have capable emerging stars to surprise
A dream Belgium that was third in the last World Cup event in Russia 2018 knows that it is facing the last call for its, perhaps, the best generation in history. Many of her members will not go to another World Cup and, with the quality that exists in the group, they should be considered as serious candidates to fight for everything.
But in a World Cup that has already given surprises, such as Argentina’s defeat against Saudi Arabia, Belgium cannot relax or give away an iota of sweat and dedication. And it is that opposite, Canada, arrives with everything to gain and nothing to lose and with a recovered Alphonso Davies as general of his mounted police.
The Bayern Munich left-back, perhaps a winger for his national team, is Canada’s great reference and also their great hope. So it was a relief for the Americans to hear their coach, John Herdman, say that Davies was fine after noticing sore muscles 15 days ago.
Davies will be able to play and accompany in an eleven that is still mostly unknown, names that are beginning to stand out in Europe, such as strikers Jonathan David (9 goals with Lille in Ligue 1) and Cyle Larin, who is looking to make a name for himself in the Belgian Bruges.
More notoriety, almost infinite, have the players from Belgium. Some of them, like the center backs Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen, are in their twilight and know that they will say goodbye to the big events in Qatar. Others, like Eden Hazard or Romelu Lukaku, are close to that situation.
All of them are, however, the best generation. But he wouldn’t do it if he didn’t have a pair that is worth its weight in gold; Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne. Undoubtedly, the future of this Belgium that seeks the final and thus improve that meritorious third place in the last World Cup will depend a lot on what both do.
DATASHEET.
–POSSIBLE ALIGNMENTS.
BELGIUM: Thibaut Courtois; Zeno Debast, Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen; Thomas Meunier, Youri Tielemans, Axel Witsel, Yannick Carrasco; Kevin De Bruyne, Loïs Openda and Eden Hazard.
CANADA: Milan Borjan; Alistair Johnston, Steven Victoria, Kamal Miller, Sam Adekugbe; Tajon Buchanan, Stephen Eustace, Atiba Hutchinson, Alphonso Davies; Cyle Larin and Jonathan David.
–REFEREE: Janny Sikazwe (ZAM).
–STADIUM: Ahmad bin Ali Stadium.
–TIME: 20.00 peninsular time / World Goal.