Adnan Januzaj, Belgium Top Group G After 1-0 World Cup Win over England
Gill Clark@@gillclarky
Featured Columnist IJune 28, 2018
Belgium finished top of Group G with a 1-0 win over England on Thursday at the FIFA 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Both teams had already qualified for the last 16 of the tournament and named much-changed sides for the clash. Belgium were the stronger team and took all three points thanks to a goal from Adnan Januzaj.
Southgate Could Rue Mass Squad Changes
With qualification assured, Gareth Southgate opted to shake up his squad and made eight changes. Only Jordan Pickford, John Stones and Ruben Loftus-Cheek were retained after the win over Panama.
The mass changes meant England put in a disjointed performance and found it tough going against a Belgian team who also rested key players.
Top scorer Harry Kane was missed in attack, with Jamie Vardy and Marcus Rashford failing to find the back of the net. Captain Eric Dier also put in a poor performance in midfield, per football writer Simon Clancy:
In defence, Danny Rose came in at left-back, but despite some bright moments, he could not prevent Adnan Januzaj going past him and firing home a superb shot for the opening goal.
The result means England must work to rebuild the momentum accrued from their opening wins over Tunisia and Panama ahead of their last-16 clash against Colombia.
John Cross at the Mirror felt England would want to avoid the South Americans:
Jose Pekerman's side look a far tougher proposition than Japan, who put in a poor display and lost 1-0 to already-eliminated Poland in their final game.
Colombia beat Senegal, and players such as James Rodriguez, Juan Fernando Quintero and Radamel Falcao are all capable of causing England problems with their skill and pace.
Football reporter Alison Bender explained why finishing second could be problematic:
England may be relieved to have finished as runners-up, which means missing out on a potential quarter-final against Brazil. But Colombia are a dangerous side, and a defeat in the last 16 may see Southgate rue his decision to not play his strongest team against Belgium.
Belgium May Not Celebrate Winning Group
Belgium's win saw them top Group G, but Roberto Martinez's team may not feel like celebrating, as the win sees them land in a potentially tougher section of the draw.
The Red Devils will be favourites to see off Japan in the next round, but after that, they will face the winner of the clash between Brazil and Mexico.
Mark Ogden at ESPN FC felt Belgium did not treat the game seriously:
Sports journalist Peter Hall did not understand Belgium's approach:
Martinez spoke before the game about how beating England was not a priority for Belgium, per Martha Kelner at the Guardian.
There was a real sense during the match that Belgium would have been happy with a draw, which would have seen them finish as runners-up behind England.
Belgium have a talented squad but have underachieved in recent tournaments, and there is pressure on the team to have a big impact at this World Cup.
Brazil appear to be one of the strongest teams in the competition, and Belgium will be aware that victory against England could mean a quarter-final exit.
Alexander-Arnold's Performance Should Give Southgate Food for Thought
One of the bright spots for England will have been the performance of 19-year-old right wing-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who started the game and impressed for the Three Lions.
The youngster showed no nerves whatsoever and was a busy presence down the right flank for England.
Football correspondent Melissa Reddy neatly summed up his performance:
Melissa Reddy @MelissaReddy_A composed Trent Alexander-Arnold excelling on his competitive #ENG debut. Most key passes, touches, crosses and passes in the opposition half for the Three Lions in the first 45. His delivery, as ever, has been superb. A clearance off the line too! #WorldCup https://t.co/jDmL2MUIUW
His display may have given Southgate plenty to think about ahead of the game with Colombia, although England have plenty of options in defence.
Kieran Trippier has been England's first choice so far and has put in some strong performances that have earned comparisons with David Beckham, per Sam Wallace at the Daily Telegraph:
The Tottenham Hotspur man should return against Colombia, but Alexander-Arnold has proved he is a more than capable back-up if needed.
What's Next?
Group winners Belgium face Japan in the last 16 on Monday at the Rostov Arena. Runners-up England will take on Colombia on Tuesday at Moscow's Spartak Stadium.