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Home , Eden Hazard, Marouane Fellaini, Thomas Vermaelen

27 Sports Sunday, July 8, 2018

SNIPPETS ’s ‘golden generation’ finally make their mark at WCup

I have been unfairly criticised a lot this year: Courtois

SAINT PETERSBURG: Long touted as World Cup contenders thanks to an abundance of talent, Belgium claimed their biggest scalp ever in beat- ing five-time winners Brazil to reach just their sec- ond semi-final. A ‘golden generation’ featuring , , and exited tamely to Argentina four years ago and blew a huge chance at Euro 2016 when on the kind side of the draw. Now in their prime, this group of players is unlikely to get a better opportunity to win a major international tournament than over the course of the next week, with France to come in the last four on Tuesday. Here, AFP Sports looks at Belgium’s rich resources in every area of the field. KAZAN: Belgium’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois stops a shot on goal during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Brazil and Belgium at the Kazan Arena in Kazan on Friday. — AFP COURTOIS STANDS TALL The giant Chelsea stopper needed every inch of his 6 feet 6 inch (1.99 metre) frame to prevent been hailed as the ’s best defensive Fellaini equalised in a thrilling comeback from 2-0 hauling Brazil into extra-time with a stun- partnership. down to beat Japan 3-2 in the last 16. ning stoppage time save on Friday. “I know However, Vertonghen, 31, and Alderweireld, 29, As Belgium tired against waves of Brazilian Neymar likes to curl it that way. I was ready and also do not have time on their side. The pace of attacks in the second half, Hazard carried his side made a good save,” said Courtois. Kylian Mbappe could cause problems in Saint up the field, winning free-kicks and relieving the “I have been unfairly criticised a lot this year. Petersburg on Tuesday, but Belgium will not be pressure-a sign of his and this side’s growing Today I proved again who I am and why I am short of experience at the back. maturity. here.” Widely regarded as one of the world’s best goalkeepers, Courtois has won two Premier MIDFIELD MAESTROS LUKAKU MORE THAN A GOALSCORER League titles with Chelsea and while on Coach Roberto Martinez had been criticised for Still in the race for the Golden Boot behind loan at Atletico , but his nine-save display not finding the right balance to get the best out of , with Belgium now guaranteed two against Brazil was one of his best yet on the big De Bruyne early in the tournament, but the more matches, Romelu Lukaku has shown another international stage. Spaniard’s bold tactical plan worked to perfection side to his game so far in the knockout phase after against Brazil. took De Bruyne’s scoring four times in the group stages. His superb LAST CHANCE FOR AGEING DEFENCE place in a deep-lying midfield role to free up run off the ball and dummy in the final seconds Trailblazers for a wave of Belgian talent to make Manchester City’s player of the year to play much against Japan cleared the space for Thomas their way to the Premier League, Vincent further forward and to devastating effect as he Meunier to tee up ’s winner. Kompany and have battled blasted home Belgium’s second of the night and Against Brazil, again it was Lukaku’s link-up back from years of injury problems just to make his first of the tournament. play that proved decisive as he powered past the squad at the age of 32. Before Toby Captain Eden Hazard has been consistently Fernandinho and Paulinho on a rapid counter- Alderweireld’s own injury problems this season, he brilliant, scoring twice against Tunisia in the group attack before feeding De Bruyne to smash home and Tottenham teammate had stage, and providing the teasing cross from which from the edge of the area. —AFP Brazil’s WCup defeat hits home in Lebanon

BEIRUT: Brazil’s surprise defeat in the World Cup has stunned fans in the Lebanese capital Beirut, where football supporters have long put their hopes in the Latin American side. “We are all Brazilian, we all love Brazil to death whatever happens,” said Ali, dressed in a skin-tight shirt, after seeing his heroes lose 2-1 to Belgium on Friday and crash out of the tournament in Russia. The 24-year-old watched the match in the Shiite outskirts of Beirut, where Brazilian flags hang from buildings and shop windows are filled with life-size posters of players. “A supporter who loves his team, it’s in victory but also in defeat,” said Ali, who works in deliveries for a multinational firm. Millions of Lebanese have emi- BEIRUT: Lebanese fans watch the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Brazil grated to Brazil since the end of the 19th century- and Belgium in the Ersal district, southern Beirut, on Friday. Despite the defeat, the “Selecao” unleash- including the family of Brazilian President Michel es the passions, and makes forget the everyday demands. —AFP Temer-ensuring enduring support when it comes to football. Haydar Baddar, 38, installed a projector on his football ground-when the evening comes, you see Hussein Mohamed. “Football makes you forget. When doorstep, which attracted dozens of fans for the tie them playing everywhere,” he added. you’re suffocating, you go to the stadium and you with Belgium. Many in the male-majority crowd Brazil’s defeat by Belgium brings tears to the forget,” said the 25-year-old, who explained he donned Brazil’s yellow jersey for the occasion, while crowd, met with mocking wails from some women at dropped out of school because of his obsession with families watched from their balconies as the sound of the end of the street. Baddar opts for firing his pistol football. Mohamed rallied the neighbourhood’s youth drums and vuvuzelas filled the narrow street. into the air. With residents enduring economic woes, into hanging Brazilian flags along the multitude of “Here in our part of town we see Brazil, the neigh- inadequate public services and widespread social electricity cables that fill the street. The result is an bourhoods and the streets of Brazil, and it’s like our inequality, football is a welcome distraction from dai- explosion of colour, with the distinctive blue, yellow home,” said Baddar, a shop owner with a neatly ly hardships. and green banner eclipsing the drab concrete build- trimmed black beard. In Beirut’s southern neighbour- “We’re in a country where the situation is bad. ings. “There are more than a thousand... It’s Sao hoods, “children play ball on the street. There’s no This neighbourhood is very poor,” said unemployed Paulo,” boasted Mohamed. — AFP

goals against Portugal and draws defenders away them punch above their weight since winning the first Teary Uruguay exit from strike partner Luis Suarez, distorted Uruguay’s World Cup in 1930. game plan and gave France an easy evening except Once the emotions settle, Uruguay have some for one superb save by goalkeeper . serious work to groom a new generation, given main- WCup dreaming “I didn’t even get a shot in,” lamented a frustrated stays like captain Diego Godin and strikers Cavani Suarez, who astonishingly did not have a touch in the and Suarez are now all in their early 30s. French box. Yet the team walked off to resounding Tabarez, in charge for 12 years and known lovingly of next one chants of “Uruguay!” from Russian fans, an ovation as ‘El Maestro’ (The Teacher) at home, said his future from their own supporters, hugs from the French, and was up to local football association bosses - but inspiring words by their coach. there has been no sign they want to move him on NIZHNY NOVGOROD: Uruguay’s never-say-die “We dream on. Things never end. A World Cup after such success and stability. players fell to the floor in tears after losing their comes around every four years,” said Oscar Tabarez, Inevitably, it was French forward Antoine World Cup quarter-final to France, but they depart noting Uruguay had surpassed great soccer nations Griezmann-a fan of Uruguay and friend of Godin and with heads high after yet again shaking it up among like Germany and Argentina in reaching the last eight. Gimenez from Atletico Madrid — who put the nail in the world’s best. At home, Uruguayans were sad but bursting the South Americans’ coffin. Not only did he supply Despite a tiny population of 3.3 million people, with pride. “There’s nothing to reproach,” said for- the cross for France’s first goal, but it was his shot Uruguay got out of the group stages in the last three mer captain Diego Lugano. “Thanks to the players that squirmed through goalkeeper Fernando tournaments, reaching the semi-final in 2010 and the for again being World Cup protagonists and stir- Muslera’s hands for the second. last eight this time. In Russia, they won three group ring a nation.” Out of respect, he did not celebrate. “Uruguay are games without conceding a goal, before eliminating There was huge sympathy from Uruguayans a tough team, who remind me of my club side Atletico ’s Portugal 2-1 in the last 16. They towards defender Jose Gimenez, whom cameras ... They are a pleasure to watch,” he said. Griezmann were well-beaten 2-0 by France on Friday, but will caught crying minutes before the end as he realised it has promised to visit Uruguay for the first time in always wonder what might have been if influential was too late to turn the game around. One British December. Despite putting them out of the World striker had not been out with injury. pundit called that “embarrassing”, but for Cup, Uruguayans are sure to give their French amigo The absence of Cavani, who scored two wonder Uruguayans it was proof of the passion that has seen a warm welcome. — Reuters