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KAZAN, Russia – While the most funky modern World Cup is even more funky on its way to a "Funkytown" final next Sunday, Friday night in Kazan has brought a new case of major merit. The impressive construction of a "generation" car of the small nation of 11.5 million inhabitants of Belgium, a question that had caused years of discussions but only glimpses of fame, found an ultimate ratification.
1 win over the last realm of the World Cup, Brazil, not only pushed the Red Devils in the semifinals, a major tournament after their release from Euro 2016 with a 3-1 defeat against wee Wales. He has not only set up a great international semifinal as a border between Belgium and France which doubles as a rich collection of sumptuous attacks. He not only reduced the World Cup of 32 teams in six remaining European teams with, in a way, only two previous World Cup titles in between, either far or far, of the same number at that time. stage in 2014 (10), or 2010 (seven) or 2006 (12).
[France takes total control in beating Uruguay — and hints at more to come]
No, look what he did in Brazil. In an event where the pillars tend to remain main, quadrennium after quadrennium, he dropped Brazil alongside other German, Argentinian and Spanish titans on the exit tarmac, just as Italy and the Netherlands did. Had never landed. He not only left Brazil in the quarterfinals beaten for the third time in the last four World Cups, but the other World Cup has cushioned a 7-1 semi-final loss that has made it a victory in the quarter-finals. Not only will this mean that the five world championship titles will have reached 20 years before the teams arrive in Qatar in 2022, and that similar questions as to whether Lionel Messi could get a World Cup for the first time. Argentina at 31 around Neymar, who will then be 30 years old.
He also left the South American kaleidoscopic nation of over $ 200 million and his manager reflected in some kind of emotional heap.
"Are you asking God? question, a reference to how the Brazilian manager Tite did it vocally during a series of injuries.
"I do not ask God any question," said Tite, 57. "It was a moment of imbalance of mine."
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He also said, after his talented team slipped behind 2-0 in the 31st minute and spent the rest of the evening in an artistic desperation: "It's hard for me to talk to you. is very difficult.The feeling is really bitter.It's heavy.It's hard to be here. "And:" Even with all the pain and all the bitterness and difficulty coming here to If you like football, you must love this game … You can sit and say, "What a match." What a beautiful game. "
And, as his disappointment of a night before 42,873 supporters of Brazil in Kazan Arena let him venture into philosophy, he made statements such as: "Football has many variables and must be seen in a context."
Yet, he May have never said anything more relevant than what he said of the Belgians, who have gone through the knockout phase of the World Cup 2014 surpassing the United States and dropping warm-0 to Argentina: "These are very experienced players," he said. "[Romelu] Lukaku, a prominent player. [Kevin] Bruyne, one of the best players. [Eden] Hazard, a prominent player. [Jan] Vertongehen, [Vincent] Kompany, too. [Thibault] Courtois It's the technical quality. "
And he raved about Courtois, Chelsea's goalkeeper among eight other players from Belgium who played last season in the English Premier League (most for clubs from big boys), and who, with Belgium hooked and his manager still fearing an undeserved defeat, had a hasty reading on one last Neymar run that shone brightly from the top of the penalty area to the top-right corner of the goal.
Courtois reached his goal "1965-2006" A goalkeeper who really made the difference, "Tite called Courtois.
Thibault Courtois retains the lead of Belgium with a shot of Neymar in added time (Robert Ghement / EPA-EFE / Shutterstock)
The Brazilian ban and the Belgian break-up collided, and both counted, starting with the tactical adaptations of the two-year-old Belgian manager, Roberto Martinez, who , like a horde of his players, knows England and Wales well, having run three of their clubs on his career path to Brussels.Martinez had people who were playing in places where they were not playing, including Lukaku on the right and Bruyne, this maestro smuggler, in a pattern marked with a score
"I think we tactically changed tactics" says de Bruyne., who soon said, "We have created a lot of possibilities and they did not really did not do what they had to do. "
The first goal, in the 13th minute, carried the slight ricochet creep on a corner kick as it seemed to skim the veteran Kompany's great head and Fernandinho's biceps before deciding to become a goal against his camp. The beautiful second, at the 31st, saw Lukaku sneak into the field in a boil at a bullfighting shop, until he fed on Bruyne who, oddly enough, had more than enough to do. help on his right.
He let the game slip a little, then sent an explosion to the left corner.
This establishes the match as a matter of Brazilian rivalry. He put an extra burden on every finish that went on long or went bad in the second half. The beautiful cross of Philippe Coutinho found Renato Augusto's head in the 76th minute, and it overturned a chasm at home.
"It was a test of our character, especially the last 15 minutes," De Bruyne said.
Then he suffered from the misery in the final minutes for Martinez, who said: " It was very difficult because the match went very well, and then the last five minutes, "
Martinez raved about the" concentration "of his players, their" conviction ", their "reaction after conceding" against what he calls "the best team in the tournament" and a team that "He's called" the most proud man on Earth " because he gave "a very different shot" and the players were exceptionally able to master it. He said: "The tactical advantage was only one aspect, the performance was stronger than the tactical plan."
He forged a new identity and, look at it, a place at a level of the final. "It's the match that the whole world is going to watch," said de Bruyne, aware of the world to see something fresh funkily.
– Chuck Culpepper
***
Game Updates
Courtois makes a breathtaking stop
Neymar defeated the Belgian defense as it headed for the goal, but the keeper Red Devils' s is thrown on the crossbar to keep a lead of one goal in added time.
Yellow card at the Fagner of Brazil
At the 90th minute
[ Here is the complete list and schedule]
Substitution of Belgium: Tielemans for Lukaku
87th minute
Yellow card at Fernandinho of Brazil
In the 85th minute
Substitution in Belgium: Vermaelen for Chadli
In the 83rd minute
Goal, Brazil!
And all that things suddenly seem more interesting. Philippe Coutinho scored for Renato Augusto in the 76th minute, and he hit a header in the net. The Seleção is at a goal of equalization
Replacement of Brazil: Renato Augusto for Paulinho
In the 73rd minute
Yellow card with the Miller of Belgium
In the 71st minute. Meunier will miss the semi-finals, if Belgium advance, with a suspension of yellow card
Yellow card for the Belgian Alderweireld
In the 48th minute
Brazil's replacement: Firmino for Willian
Start of the second half
Half time update: Belgium 2, Brazil 0
After a first half when everything happened in Belgium, the Red Devils finished the first 45 minutes ahead Brazil 2-0. Belgium survived a first alert – a well-executed Neymar corner – to come back with two goals in 18 minutes.
Vincent Kompany's header hit Brazilian defender Fernandinho in the 13th minute. In the 31st minute, a Belgian counterattack allowed midfielder Kevin De Bruyne to score 22 yards for a shot that could have left a trace of steam. The last time Brazil, the five-time champion, broke a two-goal deficit in a World Cup match, was in 1938 against Sweden.
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Updates of the first half
] Goal, Belgium!
Belgium is in charge now. Kevin De Bruyne's 22-yard laser beam in the 31st minute gave the Red Devils a 2-0 lead over Brazil. The score came out of a counterattack from a Brazilian corner. The Belgian defense cleared the center, and striker Romelu Lukaku took the ball 45 yards from his own net. He ran the midfield and beat two Brazilian defenders before his passing found De Bruyne, who went on a strike of wonder. The score puts the Seleção firmly on his heels at the beginning of the game.
Goal, Belgium!
As the game accelerates and becomes more and more disorganized, both sides begin to rely on set pieces. The Red Devils hit first in the 13th minute of a brilliantly executed corner kick. Vincent Kompany threw a header towards his compatriots in the six-meter zone, but the ball caught the Brazilian Fernandinho's shoulder instead and found the back of the net.
Brazil gets its first chance
On a corner manhandled by Neymar, Thiago Silva takes his thigh on the crossbar in the area of six meters and the ricochet surprises Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. The effort sliced the pole and bounced wide, and Belgium fought back with a clean offensive charge.
The game is open early. Both sides play with speed and put pressure on the ball all along the pitch.
The starting lineups announced
Team Profiles
Brazil
- Previous results: Drew with Switzerland, 1-1. Defeat Costa Rica, 2-0. Serbia beaten, 2-0. Victory of Mexico in the round of 16, 2-0
- Best World Cup result: Champion, 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002.
- Notable: In 1998, the last six defeats of the World Cup world against the European opposition
- FIFA World Rank: 2. Elo world ranking: 1.
Belgium
- Previous results: Panama defeated, 3-0. Tunisia beaten, 5-2. England defeated, 1-0. Japan's win in the round of 16, 3-2
- World Cup's best result: fourth place, 1986
- Notable: the last two World Cup campaigns have ended against the South American teams: against Argentina in the quarterfinals 2014 against Brazil in the second round of 2002.
- FIFA World Rankings: 3. Elo World Rankings: 3.
– Jacob Bogage
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