Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne knew he didn바카라™t play well in his team바카라™s opening World Cup game. He said as much when he accepted the man of the match award. (More Football News)
Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne knew he didn바카라™t play well in his team바카라™s opening World Cup game but will look to turn the tide in the upcoming games.
Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne knew he didn바카라™t play well in his team바카라™s opening World Cup game. He said as much when he accepted the man of the match award. (More Football News)
바카라śI don바카라™t know why I got the trophy,바카라ť De Bruyne said. 바카라śMaybe it바카라™s because of my name.바카라ť
With De Bruyne looking to improve after the unimpressive 1-0 win over Canada, Belgium has a second chance against Morocco on Sunday to show why it is the No. 2-ranked team in the world behind Brazil .
This could also be the last World Cup chance for many on the highly-rated Belgian squad, as the 바카라śgolden generation바카라ť has often been reminded in the runup to Qatar. The spine of the team 바카라” Kevin de Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Axel Witsel, Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois 바카라” are all in their 30s.
Coach Roberto Martinez, who said the performance against Canada was one of Belgium바카라™s worst since he바카라™s been in charge, might be tempted to bring in fresh faces against Morocco.
Martinez would dearly love to bring back powerful striker Romelu Lukaku, who missed the Canada opener with a left thigh injury and is doubtful for the entire group stage. Some Belgian media has been reporting that Belgium바카라™s record goal-scorer could make an earlier-than-expected return against the Moroccans at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha.
Morocco will be less fazed at the prospect of trying to contain Kevin de Bruyne having already succeeded at subduing another of the world바카라™s best midfielders in Luka Modric.
A 0-0 draw with 2018 World Cup finalist Croatia in their first Group F game was a promising start to the World Cup for Morocco and especially for coach Walid Regragui, who had less than three months to prepare his team having only been hired at the end of August.
He had coached Morocco in just three friendly games before entering the World Cup. Compare that to Zlatko Dalic바카라™s five years in charge of Croatia. Or Martinez바카라™s six years with Belgium.
The World Cup schedule gave Morocco a daunting start with 2018 runners-up Modric and Croatia followed by De Bruyne and Belgium, who finished third in that last World Cup. But the point against Croatia provided a real confidence-booster.
바카라śArriving in these conditions is not easy, but I accepted the challenge,바카라ť Regragui said. And the Croatia result 바카라śmade us believe,바카라ť he added.