Aiming to put at least one foot in the knockout stages, Belgium continue their pursuit of a first World Cup on Sunday, when they meet Group F rivals Morocco at Al Thumama Stadium.
After edging out Canada in their opening match, the Red Devils will now seek to tame the Atlas Lions, who held Croatia to a goalless draw.
Match preview
Having qualified with relative ease, averaging over three goals per game in the process, Belgium kicked off their latest quest for an elusive major trophy on Wednesday evening, as they tackled a nation who had been absent from the World Cup finals for nearly four decades.
Group F outsiders Canada actually thrived on their return to the global stage throughout the first half of the teams’ encounter in Al Rayyan and saw an early penalty saved by Thibaut Courtois, but Michy Batshuayi’s 44th-minute goal ultimately decided the three points’ destiny.
Only starting in place of injured talisman Romelu Lukaku, the Fenerbahce striker secured an all-important opening day win, as several stars including playmaker Kevin De Bruyne – who bizarrely received the official ‘Man of the Match’ award – endured an off night.
With Croatia and Morocco playing out a goalless draw earlier in the day, Belgium therefore sit at the top of their group ahead of Sunday’s second game but will surely need to step their efforts up a notch when facing more challenging opposition.
It is likely that Batshuayi will still shoulder the burden up front for an ageing ‘Golden Generation’, and his level of success in deputising for the Red Devils’ all-time top scorer – Lukaku having scored 68 goals from 102 international appearances and five in 10 World Cup matches – could prove crucial to their hopes in Qatar.
In what may be the last roll of the dice for coach Roberto Martinez, the Belgians still have ambitions to improve on their third-place finish in 2018 but must first take care of business against a country they defeated 1-0 in the only previous World Cup meeting between the two, at USA ’94.
Morocco living dangerously against Croatia in their World Cup fixture on November 23, 2022.© Reuters
While Belgium have now won each of their last eight group stage games at the finals, Morocco have found the going far tougher down the years, so their first-day draw with 2018 runners-up Croatia was celebrated as something of a victory.
Lauded for a solid defensive display after the teams’ contest in Al Khor, the Atlas Lions remain in the mix for last-16 qualification, which represents an acceptable state of affairs, as they have failed to even qualify for the World Cup in four of their last five attempts and took just one point from a tough group four years ago.
Current coach Walid Regragui has already admitted his side are unfancied to reach the knockout stages, given the pedigree of their European counterparts in Group F, but they more than matched their first opponents at Al Fayt Stadium on Wednesday. While Morocco have now failed to score in over half their World Cup matches – nine out of 17 to date – holding Croatia goalless represents a good day’s work.
Following defeat to Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals last year, former boss Vahid Halilhodzic – who had dropped Hakim Ziyech and Noussair Mazraoui due to disagreements – departed, but replacement Regragui stepped into the dugout and reintegrated both back into the squad.
After a positive start in Qatar, the former manager of Qatari club Al-Duhail now leads his nation into another fixture from which they would surely accept a single point, before tackling a potentially decisive clash with Canada four days later.
Enjoying the noisy backing of Moroccan fans drawn direct from North Africa and a large expat community based in the Middle East, they should at least take on Belgium amid a partisan atmosphere in Doha.
Team News
Though Roberto Martinez has already declared his hope that star striker Romelu Lukaku will be available this weekend, Belgium’s leading scorer is facing a race against time to be involved. The 29-year-old has been mostly sidelined since the end of August with a hamstring injury and may not be fit enough even for a place on the bench until the final group game against Croatia.
In Lukaku’s absence, Michy Batshuayi is favourite to deputise up front again, having both scored the only goal last time out and established an impressive international record to date.
Lois Openda, of Ligue 1 club Lens, offers another option during the second half, while Leandro Trossard made a cameo against Canada and has been in excellent form for Brighton & Hove Albion. The latter will find it tough to displace captain Eden Hazard, however.
Martinez is expected to retain the formation which he deployed on Wednesday, but Thomas Meunier and Amadou Onana are in contention for promotion to the starting lineup at wing-back and in central midfield respectively.
Meanwhile, Morocco’s midfield fulcrum Sofyan Amrabat will play again but carries a booking over from the Croatia game, as Walid Regragui names a similar XI to that which kicked off the tournament.
Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou should therefore line up behind Achraf Hakimi, Romain Saiss and Nayef Aguerd at the back, and Bayern Munich full-back Noussair Mazraoui is likely to join them, despite being stretchered off in midweek.
Though the former Ajax man landed heavily on his side, it is believed he sustained only a minor muscular injury; Yahia Attiyat-Allah stands ready if required.
Belgium possible starting lineup:
Courtois; Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Dendoncker; Meunier, Onana, Witsel, Carrasco; De Bruyne, E. Hazard; Batshuayi
Morocco possible starting lineup:
Bounou; Hakimi, Aguerd, Saiss, Mazraoui; Ounahi, Amrabat, Amallah; Ziyech, En-Nesyri, Boufal
Speaking at a press conference ahead for the decisive Group H match against the Asians, Addo expressed his gratitude to the fans for their unflinching support.
Portugal, who are top of the group with three points thanks to its victory over the Black Stars, will take on Uruguay in the group’s other match on Monday.