Kazan, Russia: Belgium ran out 2-1 winners against Brazil to end the Selecao’s World Cup at the quarterfinal stage on Friday night, sending Neymar’s side home from Russia and putting Roberto Martinez’s team into the semifinals.
A Fernandinho own goal and a brilliant Kevin De Bruyne strike gave Belgium a spot in the last four for the second time after 1986 and sees Brazil eliminated in the quarterfinals for the third time in the last four World Cups.
A furious opening 10 minutes saw Thiago Silva clatter a close-range strike off the post and Nacer Chadli blaze a fine shot just wide of goal for Belgium. And it was Belgium that took an early lead in the 13th minute when Vincent Kompany redirected a Chadli corner kick on frame that bounced off Fernandinho’s arm and into the net for an own goal, the 11th so far at this World Cup.
De Bruyne then doubled Belgium’s lead just past the half-hour mark, firing a low, line drive into the side netting from a Romelu Lukaku assist after the Manchester United striker’s marauding run through midfield.
Brazil — down 2-0 and trailing for the first time in Russia — seemed to sense the urgency of the situation and poured forward. Thibaut Courtois palmed away a goal-bound Gabriel Jesus header on 36 minutes before stopping a curling Philippe Coutinho shot that was headed for the back of the net.
De Bruyne, playing in a more advanced role than he had in Belgium’s previous four matches, was at the heart of his team’s best work, managing transition from rearguard defence to attack with vision and accuracy.
Neymar had a penalty shot waved off early in second half as he charged into box and appeared to be tripped, but replays showed referee made the right call.
VAR came into play soon after the Neymar penalty shout when Kompany tripped up Jesus near the Belgium goalline, but after review the video assistant did not award a spot kick to Brazil.
And substitute Renato Augusto gave Brazil hope in the 76th minute with a glancing header from a deft Coutinho chip that beat Courtois and cut the Selecao’s deficit in half. Brazil were nearly back on level terms twice soon after, but Augusto fired his shot from just outside the area wide of goal before Coutinho skied a shot from Neymar’s laid-off pass well over the bar.
Belgium will now face France, who beat Uruguay 2-0 earlier in the day, in the semifinal at St. Petersburg on Tuesday to earn a place in World Cup final.
France score 2-0 win over Uruguay
France reached the World Cup semifinals after a relatively straightforward win over Uruguay courtesy of goals from Raphael Varane and Antoine Griezmann. Varane opened the scoring on 40 minutes before Griezmann made it 2-0 just after the hour mark following a dreadful error from Fernando Muslera in the Uruguay goal.
Edinson Cavani was only fit enough to start on the bench following the calf injury sustained in the round of 16 win over Portugal and replacement Cristhian Stuani toiled in his absence as Uruguay crashed out. France, winners in 1998, will face either Brazil or Belgium in the semifinals on Tuesday.
With Uruguay conceding just one goal in 2018 ahead of this match — to Pepe in their 2-1 win over Portugal — France faced the tough prospect of penetrating a resolute backline but in the end they prevailed, thanks in part to Muslera’s howler.
Olivier Giroud’s header found Kylian Mbappe, who had all the time in the world to bring it down and shoot. Instead, he headed first time and the chance harmlessly bounced over. Uruguay were tenacious without the ball without unduly troubling the France defence but five minutes before half time, they fell behind.
Martin Caceres thought he had equalised with a header of his own from a free kick soon after but Hugo Lloris somehow denied him with an incredible reflex stop and Diego Godin ballooned the rebound over the bar.
Uruguay pushed for equaliser in the second half but things got worse on 62 minutes as Griezmann doubled France’s lead.
This post was published on July 7, 2018 5:13 pm