Nations League | Belgium is ready

There is life beyond Hazard, yes there is. Without its main star, the constellation continues to shine, to a greater extent thanks to its creator, Roberto Martínez. Belgium celebrated the golden anniversary of its coach, who has reached 50 games (39 wins, 78%) on his bench, with a prestigious triumph that leaves him one point from another milestone, the move to the final phase of the League of Nations, and steers England away.

He had to sweat it, as expected, Belgium, owner of the details of a meeting with vertigo music. There are two teams, the Belgian and the English, who face to face seem to be looking at each other in a mirror: they are similar in the drawing, raised on three centrals, in the high pressure, in the speed of movement and in their headlights, Lukaku and Kane to pivot in attack.

Belgium started by picking up the thread that it did not finish threading at Wembley in October. That afternoon, without five starters and one of them, De Bruyne, playing injured, played half an hour of football. He was penalized for two mistakes, but the warning remained and at home, with all his weapons except Hazard, he took revenge.

The first hook came at 10 '. Vertonghen anticipated, the ball reached Lukaku, the giant connected with Tielemans and Leicester's nailed the 1-0. The advantage was felt on the scoreboard and in Southgate, who without Sterling, unexpectedly down, found his pass to Courtois in Grealish. Alderweireld covered the tie for Aston Villa and then, in the 12th minute, Lukaku, in a small way for everything, took a header from Kane on the goal line.

Belgium, to the minimum that it could, did not forgive. Mertens, born in Leuven, was comfortable with a wonderful free kick from the front. Nothing like being a prophet in your land, what the classics would say. The 2-0 cheered the Belgians, who lost control by the English push. It was more an act of nonconformity than improvement, because he only translated it on one occasion, very clear in any case, that he aborted Courtois's breast.

In the second half England grew and Belgium gave more kicks than passes. It was worth, in a great endurance exercise that only Kane really threatened in 57 ', to achieve the goal, add the three points. With one more on Wednesday, in the visit of Denmark, he will get the ticket for the final phase. Witsel and Meunier will lose it by penalty …

Eriksen saves Denmark

A penalty penalty in Eriksen's discount, the second in the match, gave Denmark a victory against Iceland that allows them to reach the last match against Belgium alive, in which both will play for the leadership of the group.

Eight changes made Denmark in the starting eleven after the surreal friendly against Sweden (2-0), in which it added a dozen and a half casualties among positives for coronavirus, quarantines and other restrictions. One of them, forced by the injury of forward Dolberg, which convinced Kasper Hjulmand to modify the system.

The Danish coach bet on a 3-5-2, with Poulsen and Braithwaite leading the way, which helped him control the few Icelandic attacks and dominate the game.

A good pass from Jensen for the incorporation of Wass, ended in a penalty for the Valencia player, which Eriksen did not miss.

Iceland, already out of options after losing their four previous games, opted for an alternative team to try to get up from the blow they received a few days ago in Budapest, when Hungary came back in discount and left them without a European Championship.

But the team coached by the Swede Erik Hamrén – who will leave office after closing his participation in the League of Nations – did not show too many signs of life, beyond their usual order and fight.

Iceland raised the intensity a point in the second half, but still did not create danger. The party got tangled up. Denmark gave up the initiative somewhat and was clumsy in the cons. Still, the few chances were his, like a long shot by Eriksen or a goal disallowed for offside to Poulsen.

Denmark relaxed and Iceland began to shake in the final stretch with direct play and set pieces. And in one counter came Kjartansson's goal, which rewarded the Icelanders' struggle.

When Denmark were already playing desperately, Eriksen appeared as almost always to the rescue to transform a penalty by hand to a Poulsen header in discount, a goal that does not wash away the bad second half of the Danes, who now face an unexpected final against Belgium, in which it is only worth winning. -EFE-.