A small taste of the World Cup 2018 between two outsiders. On Saturday evening, the Belgium against Portugal, reigning European champion, in the Stadium of King Baudouin. For the Red Devils, this match signified the beginning of the campaign preparation, so that the Seleção das Quinas played its second friendly match after the draw against Tunisia (2-2). For this poster, Roberto Martínez with his eleven type with a 3-4-3, led by the trident offensive Mertens-Lukaku-Hazard. On the side of Fernando Santos, the coach should spend a more time services of its star Cristiano Ronaldo, currently on holiday. Several changes were noted compared to the last composition, including the presence of Gelson Martins and Gonzalo Guedes on the front of the attack lusitanian.
If the meeting was a friendly on paper, this was clearly not the case on the ground. The match started on an intense pace. Lukaku was immediately the pressure on the opposition defence, but Portugal hadn’t left and met du tac au tac. Found at the entrance to the surface, Guedes curled up, but couldn’t catch the frame (3e). In a system in 3-4-3 where Carrasco and Miller participated a lot to the phases, offensive, defense of the Seleção das Quinas. suffered in the beginning of the game in the face of these wrong-wingers. The speed and the liveliness of small jigs of the Red Devils asked a lot of difficulties, even if they were not actually dangerous. Side lusitanian, it was mainly against. João Moutinho was trying from a distance, but his strike vicious was well stopped by Courtois (24th). Side of belgium, the first real opportunity came from a feat of the individual, of Carrasco, but his shot from the left side in a closed-angle spinning a little to a side (31).
Belgium has dominated, but Portugal resisted
Over the meeting, Portugal is taking over and finished strong the first act. But to the chagrin of supporters Portuguese, Bernardo Silva (42nd), Gelson Martins (44th) and Guedes (45th) were evidence of inaccuracies in the final gesture. If Belgium gave the impression to master his subject in the beginning of the match Portugal showed a great solidity to thwart the plans of the Belgian, and take over over the meeting. After the break, Roberto Martinez would rebuild his team with the entry into play of Benteke (Lukaku), Chadli (Carrasco), Mertens (Januzaj) and Fellaini (Dembélé). Despite these many changes, the Belgium retained its style of play, and took control of the match in the beginning of the second act.
Found at the edge of the box, Jan Vertonghen, who was celebrating his 100th cap with the Red Devils, curled up a shot from the left, but Beto saved his own people for the benefit of a superb tap (55th). The men of Santos were happy to accept to leave the ball possession to the opposing team. The latter tried to place a few arrows thanks to the speed of Gelson Martins and Guedes, but they were far too drafts. Belgium urged, but the attempt of Miller was arrested once more by Beto, determined to keep his cage clean sheets to date (64th). The two formations were engaged in a tough battle, but none of them was to take over the defenses. For the first time in the history of direct confrontations, these two nations are separated on a goalless draw.