Brazil vs Belgium, World Cup 2018: Kevin De Bruyne stuns Tite's men to set up semi-final clash with France
Five things we learned as Roberto Martinez's men triumph in a thriller in Kazan
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Kevin De Bruyne's first-half thunderbolt proved enough for Belgium to shock Brazil and reach the World Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1986.
The Manchester City playmaker doubled Belgium's lead after Fernandinho's own goal had broken the deadlock, and despite a second-half Brazil rally that featured a Renato Augusto header and several gilt-edged chances, Roberto Martinez's men held on to earn a famous win over the pre-tournament favourites.
Here are five things we learned from the game:
Belgium’s inferiority complex is a thing of the past
There was no doubting the incredible talent of this Belgium squad heading into the World Cup, only the nagging question of whether or not a group of players from a country outside the historic elite could convince themselves of their superiority when it truly mattered. They provided the most emphatic of answers at Kazan Arena.
It does not get any bigger than facing Brazil in the knockout stage of the World Cup, and this was not the over-emotional, ill-disciplined Brazil that Germany so ruthlessly dismantled in 2014. Over the last two years Tite has built a balanced, coherent and confident team to rival Europe’s best in Russia – and yet it mattered not.
Once fortune gave them a lead, Belgium defended with discipline, passed with purpose and ripped Brazil to pieces on the counter-attack. They played with a swagger that suggested they knew they were the better side and if you think you’re better than Brazil, you can win the World Cup.
Europe is further ahead of South America than ever
Belgium’s victory ensures that we will have four European semi-finalists at a World Cup for the first time since 1982 and while Brazil’s demise in Kazan was something of a surprise, the rest of South America’s struggles were significantly more predictable.
Argentina were lucky to reach the round of 16 – and indeed the tournament itself. Uruguay are a stubborn team with a healthy slice of quality and experience, but undermined by a sub-par goalkeeper and the fallibility of youth in midfield. Colombia disgraced themselves without James Rodriguez against England, Peru were a cute story and Chile are a faded force.
Even with Germany and Spain’s uncharacteristic struggles – and they will surely rise again quickly – the depth of quality elsewhere in Europe remains unmatched. France and Belgium are set up to be contenders for at least the next four years. South America has some catching up to do.
Neymar is yet to reach Ballon d’Or standard
His preparations for this tournament were admittedly far less than ideal – though you could argue that sitting out the final three months of Paris Saint-Germain’s season at least ensured that Neymar would be physically fresh for this World Cup, even if he still had to rediscover his rhythm.
Goals against Croatia and Austria suggested that would not be a problem, but Neymar has never quite hit the heights at a World Cup that was his for the taking.
His mind rather than his body appears to have held him back. Too often he has played as if it was solely up to him to win this tournament, him fighting alone in a hostile world where every dribble has to beat three defenders, and where every contact from an opponent is a foul.
In the vacuum created it is actually Coutinho who has emerged as Brazil’s talisman, and it was Augusto who came closest to bringing them back from the dead against Belgium.
Neymar supposedly joined PSG to elevate himself to the level of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the Ballon d’Or discussion. He looks further away from that standard than ever.
France will know they can hurt Belgium
It is a strange paradox that the victory that will be regarded as this Belgium team’s coming of age also raised more questions than answers about their World Cup chances.
They looked terrified in the opening exchanges as Brazil started confidently, and might have been as much as 3-0 down by the time Fernandinho found his own net. Once ahead they had the luxury of playing on the break, which begs the question as to why Brazil were able to counter them with such alarming regularity in the second half.
Augusto’s header to give Brazil life was totally unmarked, and both he and Coutinho missed gilt-edged chances to level the match. Martinez’s insistence on leaving three men upfield was admirable, but surely unwise against such talented opponents.
Belgium may not be afforded the luxury of a lead against France in the semi-final. They almost certainly won’t have the luxury of being so lax in defence.
Lukaku might be better as a wide forward
Martinez sprung the tactical surprise that defined the first half, deploying De Bruyne as a false nine and Lukaku on the right of the front three, as he did on occasion at Everton.
The switch allowed the Manchester United striker to exploit the acres of space behind Marcelo and gain a head of steam in isolation against Miranda. It was a masterstroke.
Lukaku’s touch occasionally failed him as it often does, but he presents a unique match-up problem charging infield from wide and clearly has the intelligence to function out of his No 9 comfort zone. Jose Mourinho is unlikely to ever use him there, but Martinez has shown him an alternative.
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