Belgium Face Tough Test Germany Expects Turnaround
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FIFA World Cup 2018 SATURDAY, JUNE 23, 2018 Belgium v Tunisia Group G, June 23 18 Spartak Stadium, Moscow FIFA World Cup 2018 FIFA World Cup 2018 PREVIEW Belgium v Tunisia Belgium v Tunisia Group G, June 23 Group G, June 23 Spartak Stadium, Moscow Spartak Stadium, Moscow Belgium 3 FIFA rank 21 Tunisia 3 FIFA rank 21 3 FIFA rank 21 BEL 3-0 PAN Match 1 TUN 1-2 ENG BEL 3-0 PAN Match 1 TUN 1-2 ENG BEL 3-0 PAN Match 1 TUN 1-2 ENG Belgium face NicknameHEAD-TO-HEAD | Red Devils Nickname |HEAD-TO-HEAD The Eagles of Carthage Belgium 1 Tunisia 1 Belgium 1 Tunisia 1 HEAD-TO-HEAD Mouez Hassen suffered a shoulder injury in Recent Belgium 1 Tunisia 1 Recent meetings Draws 1 meetings Draws 1 2014 Belgium 1-0 Tunisia the first2014 halfBelgium 1-0 ofTunisia Tunisia’s 2-1 defeat to England 2002 Tunisia 1-1 Belgium 2002 Tunisia 1-1 Belgium WORLD CUP RECORD and is unlikelyWORLD CUP RECORD to feature again this World Cup. EDEN15 Wins 1 15 Wins 1 9 Draws 4 Farouk9 BenDraws Mustapha4 will start in goal as a tough test 18 Losses 8 18 Losses 8 1.31 Goals for* 0.69 1.31 Goals for* 0.69 HAZARD1.57 Goals against* 1.46 1.57 Goals against* 1.46 result Reuters | Nizhny Novgorod, Russia *Per match © GRAPHIC NEWS *Per match © GRAPHIC NEWS BELGIUM Recent elgium’s credentials as a genuine outside FORWARD • AGE 27 meetings Draws 1 bet for World Cup success face a tougher Leads an up-and-coming 2014 Belgium 1-0 Tunisia examination against Tunisia today after a generation of "Red Devils" 2002 Tunisia 1-1 Belgium B but still needs a major relatively sedate opening against Panama. KHAZRI trophy Roberto Martinez’s star-studded squad WORLD CUP RECORD emerged as 3-0 winners in their opening Group WHERE HE PLAYS 15 Wins 1 G game in Sochi on Monday but will likely Chelsea 9 Draws 4 England find Tunisia a far more robust and defen- 18 Left footLosses 8 1.73 m / 74 kg sively astute opponent when they meet at 1.31 Goals for* 0.69 the Spartak Stadium in Moscow. 1.57 Goals against* 1.46 It will mean the creative acumen of 4 8*Per match © GRAPHIC NEWS captain Eden Hazard and Kevin De FactRight foot box Bruyne will be vital if Belgium are CLUB GOALS IN 2017-18 In Premier League to move closer to the second round INTERNATIONAL CAREER RECORD » Belgium started their and effectively end Tunisia’s tour- 22 GOALS World Cup campaign 85 MATCHES nament. with a comfortable 3-0 Both Premier League stand - 2005 2010 2015 2018 WORLD CUP win over Panama. outs took a while to get going in Mon - EURO CHAMPIONSHIPS» Tunisia lost 2-1 to Eng- day’s match but their obvious abil - I think we will have OTHER MAJOR TROPHIES land but the scoreline Belgium’s respect ity eventually made the requisite EUROPA LEAGUE could have been a lot impact. De Bruyne set up the second goal ENGLISH CHAMPIONworse had England Bel- and we have our Dedryck Boyata will FRENCH CHAMPION for Romelu Lukaku with a characteristi- gium are clear favourites own ambitions of keepWinner his FinalistplaceParticipation in de- cally innovative pass and the Manches- Source: PremierLeague, Transfertmarkt As of May 29, 2018 fence as neither Vincent to win today and should getting past the ter City midfielder said on Wednesday Kompany nor Thomas make it two wins from first round which he saw that as his primary task at the Vermaelen are ready to two without much diffi- tournament. Tunisia has never play for Belgium. culty. done before Tunisia have a well-earned rep- Overall few changes, if any, utation in African football for are expected from the side TUNISIA COACH NABIL MAALOUL their ability to close down match- that beat Panama 3-0 in their es through a combination of first group match of the 2018 bloody-minded defence, time-wast- World Cup Possible line-ups: Courtois, Possible line-ups: Ben Mustapha, ing tactics and gamesmanship. Alderweireld, Boyata, Vertonghen, Bronn, Ben Youssef, Menah, Maaloul, Meunier, Carrasco, Witsel, De Bruyne, Skhiri, Sassi, Badri, Ben Youssef, Sliti, Hazard, Mertens, Lukaku Khazri Germany expects turnaround AFP | Sochi defeat today wouldFIFA effectively World Cup end 2018Mexico, the four-time winners against Mexico stunned fans in their campaign.Germany v Swedenmust beat the Swedes in Sochi football-mad Germany, who have orld Cup holders Ger- The pre-tournamentGroup F, talkJune in23 to be sure of staying in the tour- grown used to regular success. many face enormous Germany focusedFisht Olympic much Stadium, on the Sochinament. The World Cup winners, ac - Wpressure ahead of their bid to become the first team for Suddenly, the sweet taste of their customed to easy questions from second group match against Swe- 56 years to retain the FIFA World victory in Rio de Janeiro four years their press and the backing of den, dubbed an “early final”, with Cup. ago seems like a long time ago. adoring fans, have been stung Joachim Loew’s team knowing But after a shock 1-0 defeat to An atrocious first-half display by a swarm of criticism. FIFA World Cup 2018 FIFA World Cup 2018 Germany v Sweden Germany v Sweden Group F, June 23 Group F, June 23 Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi Germany 1 FIFA rank 24 Sweden 1 FIFA rank 24 GER 0-1 MEX Match 1 SWE 1-0 KOR 1 FIFA rank 24 MANUEL GER 0-1 MEX Match 1 SWE 1-0 KOR GER 0-1 MEX Match 1 SWE 1-0 KOR HEAD-TO-HEAD | The Team Nickname | The Blue and Yellows Nickname HEAD-TO-HEAD Germany Sweden 12 Germany Sweden 12 15 HEAD-TO-HEAD NEUER 15 Victor Lindelof missed Germany Sweden 12 MesutRecent Ozil was fit to start the GERMANY the 1-0 Recentwin over meetings Draws 9 15 meetings Draws 9 GOALKEEPER • AGED 31 2013 Sweden 3-5 Germany 1-0 loss to Mexico, but may 2013 Sweden 3-5 Germany 2012 Germany 4-4 Sweden South Korea through 2012 Germany 4-4 Sweden WORLD CUP RECORD drop out of the side here, with WORLD CUP RECORD German known for agile stops 66 Wins 17 illness, but is set to 66 Wins 17 20 Draws 13 Marco Reus in line to start. 20 Draws 13 and ability to read an attack, 21 Losses 17 come in for21 PontusLosses 17 2.09 Goals for* 1.60 2.09 Goals for* 1.60 one who moves out of the net 1.14 Goals against* 1.47 Ilkay Gundogan could also 1.14 Goals against* 1.47 *Per match © GRAPHIC NEWS Jansson at the back. *Per match © GRAPHIC NEWS come in for Sami Khedira in Recent Sweden head coach WHERE HE PLAYS the middle the park, while meetings Draws 9 Janne Andersson Bayern Munich Jonas Hector is set to start at 2013 Sweden 3-5 Germany may resist wholesale Germany Matches Marvin Plattenhardt’swith expense changes here clean sheet 2012 Germany 4-4 Sweden 1.93 m / 92 kg at left-back WORLD CUP RECORD FIFA World Cup 2018 Goals conceded 29 66 Wins 17 PossibleSouth line-ups: KoreaOlsen, v Mexico 20 13 Lustig, Jansson, Granqvist, 53 Possible line-ups: Neuer, Draws Group F, June 23 RESULTS IN INTERNATIONAL PLAY 21 Losses 17 Augustinsson, Claesson,Rostov Arena AsKimmich, of March 21 Boateng, Hummels, BERG INTERNATIONAL CAREER 2.09 Goals for* 1.60 Larsson, Ekdal, Forsberg, Plattenhardt, Goretzka, Kroos, Toivonen, Bergr 74 MATCHESMuller, Ozil, Reus, Werner 1.14 Goals against* 1.47 2005 10 15 *Per match © GRAPHIC NEWS WORLD CUP EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS FIFA World Cup 2018 FIFA World Cup 2018 South Korea v Mexico South Korea v Mexico MAJOR TROPHIES Group F, June 23 Group F, June 23 Rostov Arena Rostov Arena GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR* 57 FIFA rank 15 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE South Korea Mexico GERMAN CHAMPIONSHIP 57 FIFA rank 15 KOR 0-1 SWE Match 1 MEX 1-0 GER 57 FIFA rank 15 Winner Finalist Participation *Fifa-Fifpro teams KOR 0-1 SWE Match 1 MEX 1-0 GER KOR 0-1 SWE Match 1 MEX 1-0 GER Source: Transfertmarkt HEAD-TO-HEADNickname | Asian Tigers Nickname | El Tri HEAD-TO-HEAD Son under pressure S. Korea 4 Mexico 6 HEAD-TO-HEAD S. Korea 4 Mexico 6 Park Joo-Ho is expected to S. Korea 4 Mexico 6 Mexico have no reason to AFP | Saint Petersburg Javier Mascherano to Sergio of progressing from Group F Recent Recent meetingsmiss outDraws 2 for South Korea make any changesmeetings from Draws 2 2014 Mexico 4-0 South Korea 2014 Mexico 4-0 South Korea Aguero. alive. 2006 Mexico 0-1 South Korea 2006 Mexico 0-1 South Korea today after sustaining an the side that shockedWORLD CUP RECORD WORLD CUP RECORD outh Korea’s Son Heu- For Son and South Ko - Son blamed himself for 5 Wins 15 5 Wins 15 9 injuryDraws in14 the first half of reigning world champions9 Draws 14 ng-min is bearing the rea, the pressure is shared the opening loss. 18 Losses 25 18 Losses 25 S 0.97 theirGoals for* World1.07 Cup opener Germany in their 0.97WorldGoals for* 1.07 2.13 Goals against* 1.70 2.13 Goals against* 1.70 weight of expectation at the in the kind of unequal Responsibility is one take, *Per matchagainst© GRAPHIC NEWSSweden. Kim Min- Cup opener.*Per match © GRAPHIC NEWS pressure another.