Belgium has won the difficult goodbye game with Croatia. In their own country, the team of national coach Roberto Martínez had some trouble getting into the match, but in the end Romelu Lukaku scored the only goal of the game with his sixtieth international goal: 1-0. It was a welcome win for the Red Devils, as they did not pass Greece in the previous friendly match (1-1). Earlier this week, the Croats drew 1-1 against Armenia.
The visitors started the meeting sharply in the King Baudouin Stadium, where the team of national coach Zlatko Dalic immediately sought the attack. However, the attacking spirit and possession, apart from one of Ivan Perisic, did not provide great opportunities. Belgium hardly appeared in the scene in the first half hour, but after that the country got more color on the cheeks. The Belgians should have taken the lead in the 31st minute, when Lukaku first hit the intersection and Yannick Carrasco also hit the woodwork from the rebound.
GOAL! There is now the goal of Lukaku! ?? The striker gives Belgium a 1-0 lead after pinball football in Croatia’s sixteen ??#ZiggoSport #EURO2021 #BELCRO pic.twitter.com/hz0mn5DUJI
— Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) June 6, 2021
The opening goal finally came in the 37th minute of play. Croatia failed to clear a corner from the right, allowing Dries Mertens to put the ball in front of the goal again. Via Jan Vertonghen and Jason Denayer the ball ended up at Lukaku, who finished it mercilessly from close range and from the turn: 1-0. Seven minutes after the break, Carrasco had an excellent opportunity to double the score. After a pass from Lukaku, the Atlético Madrid winger created space for the shot, but his strike with the left went just over.
In the remainder of the second company, the pace of the game decreased and Croatia was no longer in a position to create any danger. The Belgians also seemed to be satisfied with a minimal victory, so that the score on the scoreboard did not change. Eden Hazard did come into the spotlight for a while. The Real Madrid attacker came in for Leander Dendoncker ten minutes before time and made his first minutes with the national team since November 19, 2019.
At the European Championship, Belgium is classified in Group B with Denmark, Finland and Russia. Martínez’s team will play its first group match on Saturday, June 12 against Russia; on Thursday, June 17, the game against Denmark awaits and on Monday, June 21, the group stage will end against Finland. The number two of the last World Cup will immediately be faced with a squatter on June 13. England is the opponent at Wembley. Croatia then travels to Hampden Park in Glasgow to meet the Czech Republic on June 18. In the same stadium, the group stage comes to an end with a duel with Scotland on June 22.