This blog is now closed, thanks for joining us. These were the updates on the Belgium vs Canada World Cup 2022 match on Wednesday, November 23.
This blog is now closed, thanks for joining us. These were the updates on the Belgium vs Canada World Cup 2022 match on Wednesday, November 23.
- Belgium XI: Courtois, Vertonghen, Alderweireld, Dendoncker, Castagne, Witsel, Tielemans (Onana, 45′), Carrasco (Meunier, 45′), De Bruyne, Hazard (Trossard, 62′), Batshuayi (Openda, 78′).
- Canada XI: Borjan, Laryea (Adekugbe, 74′), Miller, Vitoria, Johnston, Davies, Eustaquio (Osorio, 81′), Hutchinson (Koné, 58), Buchanan (Millar, 81′), Hoilett (Larin, 58), David.
- Thursday’s fourth match of the day, and second in Group F, took place in the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium.
- FIFA ranking: Belgium (2), Canada (41).
- Live updates
- Match stats
- Lineups
That’s all from us tonight.
From Japan’s shock win over Germany to Spain’s 7-0 win to Canada’s gutsy performance, what a day it’s been!
Four more games tomorrow and we have you covered!
Switzerland vs Cameroon (1pm/10:00 GMT)
Uruguay vs South Korea (4pm/13:00 GMT)
Portugal vs Ghana (7pm/16:00 GMT)
Brazil vs Serbia (10pm/19:00 GMT)
Belgium equal Brazil’s World Cup record
8 – Belgium are only the second team to have won eight consecutive World Cup group games, after Brazil (twice, from 1986-1994 and 2002-2010). Warm-up.#BelgiumCanada pic.twitter.com/1cn5mhIXuU
— OptaPaolo 🏆 (@OptaPaolo) November 23, 2022
Canada can take heart in their performance
Deserved acclaim for Herdman and @CanadaSoccerEN team. pic.twitter.com/rk0zur3MzP
— Mark Douglas (@MsiDouglas) November 23, 2022
Canada Manager John Herdman rues missed chances
“Proud of the performance but you need to take three points in your first game. We had the opportunity to be top of the group tonight, that was the mission, but we missed it,” he said.
Martinez taking positives from result
Belgium Manager Roberto Martinez has admitted that Canada was better than his side but spoke of the grit his team showed to grind out a win.
“When a team can win without playing well, it’s a lot to build on,” he said.
Courtois was immense today
🔥 Simply the best goalkeeper in the world… 🧱🧱🧱#BEL 1-0 #CAN #Qatar2022 #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/eKJ3lVT9E8
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) November 23, 2022
BELGIUM WIN 1-0!
Belgium hold on to beat Canada 1-0. They didn’t deserve the win but they won’t care. Football is, famously, a results game.
Canada toiling for a goal
Urgency is lacking in Canada’s game. Their fans are roaring them on but their graft is yet to be rewarded. There’s a minute of normal time left and perhaps a million or so minutes of injury time.
89 mins: Belgium 1-0 Canada
With the final 10 minutes of normal time approaching, the game has become increasingly cagey. The Canadians, who posed so many problems earlier in the match, are now looking somewhat fatigued.
Belgium, who have struggled for fluency all evening, are largely sitting deep and looking for opportunities to hit the North American side on the break as they press for an equaliser.
Batshuayi subbed off
Goal scorer Michy Batshuayi comes off and is replaced by Lois Openda.
77 mins: Belgium 1-0 Canada
All very scrappy
Belgium has forgotten they are the second-best team in the world per the FIFA rankings and Canada look spent. This game has been the opposite of a slow burner.
75 mins: Belgium 1-0 Canada
The levels have dropped
The World Cup is supposed to be the pinnacle of elite football. But in the last play – Vertonghen fell on his backside, Larin nearly ran the ball out of play on the touchline and Axel Witsel couldn’t intercept his pass as he was looking in the opposite direction.
What’s going on here?
68 mins: Belgium 1-0 Canada
Hazard’s night is over
Hazard is replaced by Brighton’s Leandro Trossard.
62 mins: Belgium 1-0 Canada
Belgium sit top of Group F as game enters final 30 mins
As it stands, Belgium sit top of Group F, with Canada propping up the table.
However, there is plenty of time for things to change yet with at least 30 minutes remaining in tonight’s game and Canada continuing to threaten in attack.
Changes for Canada
Cyle Larin, Canada’s top scorer in qualification, is on in place of Junior Hoilett.
Ismael Kone has replaced Atiba Hutchinson.
57 mins: Belgium 1-0 Canada
Couple of yellows for Belgium
Half-time substitutes Onana and Meunier have both picked up yellow cards in the first 10 minutes of this half.
56 mins: Belgium 1-0 Canada
Belgium look more settled
Belgium have just done something they haven’t done all game – they’ve kept the ball for more than two minutes.
54 mins: Belgium 1-0 Canada
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is among those cheering on the country’s men’s team in their first World Cup showing since 1986.
Belgium shore up midfield
I don’t want to say I told you so, but Onana is on in the second half in place of Tielemans. Carrasco has been replaced by Thomas Meunier.
45 mins: Belgium 1-0 Canada
Canada’s conversion conundrum
Canada’s 14 shots were the most recorded in the first half of a World Cup match without scoring since England made 17 fruitless attempts at goal against Trinidad and Tobago in 2006, according to the analytics firm Opta.
14 – Canada's 14 shots are the most in the first half of a World Cup match without scoring since England (17) against Trinidad and Tobago in 2006. Misfiring. pic.twitter.com/FiS4SyOBeo
— OptaJack⚽️ (@OptaJack) November 23, 2022
Back under way
Second half kicks off with Belgium leading Canada 1-0.
Don’t fix what isn’t broken
Canada need to ensure they don’t take their foot off the gas here. Belgium are there for the taking, and that backline has looked nervy. Jonathan David is finding space between the two centre backs, and the Canadian wingers need to keep giving him service.
A poor half for Kevin De Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne is not playing well. There must be a glitch in the matrix.
Kevin de Bruyne's first-half by numbers vs Canada:
60% passing accuracy
15 touches
6 passes completed (!!)
1 tackle
1 duel won
1 chance createdA very, VERY rare bad 45 minutes from KDB. 🧐 pic.twitter.com/NlYRqzeDLT
— Squawka (@Squawka) November 23, 2022