…WAS ROMELU LUKAKU BEWITCHED: LOSES FIVE CHANCES TO SCORE IN SECOND HALF?
Lukaku unable to find the net and save the day for The Devils
The Red Devils of Belgium were Thursday sent packing from the 2022 world cup in Qatar as they failed to manifest ending their 3rd group match against The Blazers of Croatia in group F encounter goalless.
It is not known that the Devil can be under a spell but in Qatar, the Belgians saw hell at close quarters with their highest scorer Romelu Lukaku who had not kicked a ball due to injury had to be brought in. Lukaku was sore troubled missing goal six times which could have been greatly celebrated if converted.
The vociferous Belgians were so anxious singing with high decibels, but it did not work on a vital day for Belgium that now has to back to Brussels empty handed. The players sat right on the turf looking straight like a motherless child stranded a long way from home like Bonney M sang decades ago.
There was a drama in the first half when Yannick Cassaro of Belgium committed a penalty offence against Andres Kramaric and Luka Modric who took all the set pieces was poised for the penalty. English Ref Anthony Taylor was already giving the Belgium Goalie routine instructions on penalty kick.
German coordinator of VAR for that match, Marco Fritz used the new automated offside technology that ruled Croatian Dejan Lovren offside. Captain Modric knowing Croatia was playing against the Devils went for the Advocate of Men, Jesus to persuade Ref Tailor who had handled the Germany versus South Korea won by Germany 3-2 to abandon the VAR team for he was cockily sure he would score the penalty. Anthony Tailor cancelled the penalty, and the Devils were saved.
The two teams were regular customers playing in Europe. They met seven times each winning three times and a drawn game with Croatia scoring 9 goals and Belgium 6 in the encounters. Croatia appears always tough against every European team.
The history of their meetings was 0-0 on 2nd September in world cup qualifier and on 6th October 2001in the same world cup qualifier, Croatia defeated Belgium 1-0. Then the EUFA Euro Champions where on 29th March 2003 Croatia won 4-0 and 10th September 2013 Croatia lost 1-2. On 3rd March 2010 Croatia won an International Friendly match 1-0. On 11th September 2012 in a world cup qualifier, Croatia fell 1-2 but the last time they met on 6th June 2021 Belgium won 1-0.
In the Qatar Group F matches, Atlas Lions of Morocco played goalless with Croatia in the first-round while Belgium drew 1-1 with Canada. In the second round, Belgium fell 0-2 to Morocco and Croatia bashed Canada 4-1.
At the end of hostilities in this group, Morocco led the group with 7 points and +3 goals difference; Croatia became Runners-up with 5 points and +3 goals difference. Belgium was kicked out placing third with 4 points and -1 Goals difference while Canada could not get a point but went with -5 goals deficit.
Tomorrow, Friday the last of the group stage matches in Groups G and H will be played. In group H at 1600 hours The Black Stars of Ghana will meet Uruguay in a match to revenge their last meeting at the world cup when Luiz Suarez played foul for Uruguay to win. In the other group match, South Korea will trade tackles with Ronaldo’s Portugal.
At 2000 hours, Group G will be decided between Lions of Cameroon and the Samba Boys of Brazil and then the Serbians will clash with Switzerland.
Eniola Olatunji reporting. #FifaworldcupQatar2022.
