Key events
Show only key events
Please enable JavaScript to use this feature
Belgium Tactics (II)
Guillaume Pirard writes to say that the Belgian media believe Roberto Martinez will play a 3-4-3, but with Kevin De Bruyne alongside Axel Witsel in midfield. He doesn’t often play in midfield two. Again, these are desperate times for Belgium.
Belgium (possible 3-4-3) Courtois; Alderweireld, Dendoncker, Vertonghen; Meunier, De Bruyne, Witsel, Castagne; Trossard, Mertens, Carrasco.
Belgium has underachieved – discuss.
Belgium’s tactics Wait, wait. There are some suggestions that Belgium will again be a third, but with Timothy Castagne in place of Leander Dendoncker in defence.
Belgium (possible 3-4-3) Courtois; Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Castagne; Meunier, Dendoncker, Witsel, Carrasco; De Bruyne, Mertens, Trossard.
Timothy Castagne
Updated at 14.32 GMT
Canada v Morocco
This game is inextricably linked to the events at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha. You can follow him with Our Baz.
“After the lineups are released, is Bobby Martinez’s plea ‘Please give me a reward’?” asks Ryan Grimward.
I really like the team he chose. Eden Hazard is a shadow of the player who was in the Team of the Tournament at the last World Cup, and Trossard’s selection is overdue.
Leandro Trossard
Updated at 14.31 GMT
Team news: Eden Hazard is down
Croatia has not changed; Belgium are not. Roberto Martínez has made four changes to the team that lost to Morocco on Sunday. The Hazard brothers and Michy Batshuayi are left out; Amadou Onana is suspended. Enter Dries Mertens, Yannick Carrasco, Leander Dendoncker and Brighton’s Leandro Trossard. Kevin De Bruyne replaces Eden Hazard as captain.
Eden Hazard drops to the bench today. Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Fifa/Getty Images
Dendoncker’s inclusion means Belgium could line up with a back three or four. I suspect it’s a 4-2-3-1 with Dries Mertens as a new fake, but since Roberto Martinez isn’t replying to my DMs, I can’t speak with any authority.
Croatia (4-3-3) Livakovic; Juranovic, Lovren, Guardiol, Sosa; Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic; Kramaric, Livaja, Perisic. Subs: Grbic, Ivusic, Stanisic, Erlic, Majer, Vlasic, Pasalic, Petkovic, Budimir, Orsic, Vida, Sutalo, Sucic, Jakic.
Belgium (possible 4-2-3-1) Courtois; Meunier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Castagne; Dendoncker, Witsel; Carrasco, De Bruyne, Trossard; Mertens Subs: Mignolet, Casteels, Theate, Faes, Tielemans, Lukaku, Batshuayi, T Hazard, E Hazard, Doku, Vanaken, De Ketelaere, Openda, Debast.
Updated at 14.32 GMT
The story so far
Croatia drew 0-0 with Morocco and then brought Canada to their knees, coming from behind to win 4-1.
Belgium followed up an unconvincing 1-0 win over Canada with a very unconvincing 2-0 loss to Morocco on Sunday, after which the players had a dispute over which of them was further down the hill .
I say “similarly”, because Roberto Martinez has borrowed Donald Trump’s favorite phrase, and I don’t mean Make Belgium Great Again.
Corner of permutations
This is unashamedly taken from Martin Belam’s excellent guide, linked below. Also, if it’s wrong, blame it*.
Croatia A draw is enough for Croatia to qualify. They can still qualify if they lose, if Canada beats Morocco, depending on their respective margins of victory.
Belgium Belgium must win to guarantee their qualification. A draw might be enough, but only if Canada beats Morocco, and even then it will come down to goal difference.
* It is not
preamble
The problem with a golden generation is that one day it becomes base metal. In a few hours, Croatia or Belgium, both on the podium of the last World Cup, will mourn the end of an era. Barring Morocco’s loss against Canada, one of these two teams will return home.
Belgium is the most threatened. They must win to be sure of qualifying for the last 16, while a draw is enough for Croatia. There is a way that Belgium could go through with a draw, or Croatia with a loss, but we’ll get to the permutations corner.
These are two of the oldest teams in the competition, and some of these legendary footballers are about to take part in a World Cup match for the last time: Kevin De Bruyne, Luka Modric, Romelu Lukaku, Ivan Perisic, Eden Hazard , Marcelo Brozovic, Toby Alderweireld, Dejan Lovren.
And yet. While one of these teams will almost certainly be apologizing to the nation after the final whistle, if any of them top the group they have the chance to go a long way in the tournament. The winners of Group F should not face Brazil, Spain, France, Argentina or England, the tournament’s five favourites, at least until the semi-finals.
Two golden generations doing it, with everything on the line. As recent group games go, this is a humglistener.
Start at 15:00 GMT, 18:00 in Al Rayyan, 16:00 in Brussels and Zagreb.