World Cup 2018: Belgium vs Panama – Lineups, Preview & Prediction
Roberto Martinez's Red Devils will look to put down a marker with a convincing start - minnows Panama stand in their way.
16:00 BST, Monday 18th June, Fisht Olympic Stadium (Sochi, Russia), BBC One
Everyone seems to have an opinion on Belgium.
Depending on who you ask they’re either dark horses to go all the way or dead certs to flop. Nothing but a win will do against World Cup debutants Panama in Sochi, and Roberto Martinez will be desperate for a convincing fast start.
Panama, on the other hand, go into the finals pinching themselves that they’ve made it this far. Los Canaleros struggle to score goals, but will look to be very physical and make it difficult for Belgium’s array of superstars.
Panama did reach the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup last year, so their squad are at least comfortable with tournament football.
Last Time Out
Belgium 4-1 Costa Rica [International Friendly]
With Roberto Martinez starting his strongest XI, Belgium ran out comfortable winners against also World Cup-bound Costa Rica in Brussels.
The Red Devils were given a scare when former Fulham man Bryan Ruiz volleyed Los Ticos in front after 24 minutes, but recovered well to win comfortably in the end.
REUTERS/Francois Walschaerts
Dries Mertens tapped home a mis-hit Eden Hazard effort to equalise just seven minutes later, and it was Mertens’ cross that was turned in by Romelu Lukaku that saw Belgium go into the break leading 2-1.
It was a similarly one-sided second half, and Lukaku was at it again when he powered a header past Keylor Navas from substitute Nacer Chadli’s cross. Lukaku was next to turn provider, as he teed up Michy Batshuayi who rounded off the scoring for the rampant Red Devils.
Norway 1-0 Panama [International Friendly]
Panama have struggled for goals in their friendlies since sealing qualification, failing to score against Denmark, Switzerland, Northern Ireland and, most recently, Norway.
Coach Hernan Dario Gomez will be really disappointed at the manner of the way his side conceded. The Panamanian defence were undone by a simple goal kick, with Bournemouth’s Josh King not quite believing his luck as he was able to poke the ball past the helpless Jaime Penedo.
REUTERS/Carlos Lemos
The closest Panama came to equalising was when a Fidel Escobar free kick stung the palms of Sten Grytebust in the Norway goal.
In truth, though, it was Lars Lagerback’s side who should have extended their lead when Ola Kamara blazed Alexander Sorloth’s square ball over from just a yard out.
Belgium Lineup
Of course Martinez would dearly love Vincent Kompany to be available, but the Manchester City captain is unlikely to make it for the opener against Panama, with the third group match against England a more realistic aim.
Celtic’s Dedryck Boyata will be the man to fill the void left by Kompany, and will slot in between the formidable Tottenham pairing of Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld.
Eden Hazard had an injury scare against Costa Rica, but should be fine to start Belgium’s World Cup opener.
Panama Lineup
Hernan Dario Gomez has used a 5-4-1 in the past, but has stuck with a rigid 4-1-4-1 formation for most recent preparation matches. The emphasis has been on tightening up after a chastening 6-0 defeat to Switzerland in March.
Midfielders Gomez, Godoy and Cooper are all expected to muck in and help out the back four, leaving a thankless task to 37-year-old talismanic striker Blas Perez, who has scored an enormously impressive 43 goals for his country.
19-year-old left winger Jose Luis Rodriguez is one of the youngest players at the World Cup and despite not having made his senior debut for Gent yet, is likely to start in an attempt to bring some youthful exuberance and flair to an ageing Panama side.
Key Battle: Eden Hazard (Belgium) vs Fidel Escobar (Panama)
Panama will sit deep and look to stifle Belgium, so the attacking flair and imagination of Chelsea’s number ten will be vital in unlocking the door for the Red Devils.
Los Canaleros are a very physical side and Hazard can expect particularly rough treatment, but as he usually does in the Premier League, he will have to rise above it and keep taking players on and winning free kicks.
If Belgium can score reasonably early, their work will become a lot easier, Hazard is the man that can help the likes of De Bruyne, Mertens and Lukaku around him shine.
REUTERS/Francois Walschaerts
Not yet a regular at club level with New York Red Bulls, Escobar has been pivotal for his national team over the last couple of years. Now boasting 23 caps at the age of 23, Escobar is a rare Panamanian player that is truly comfortable on the ball.
Having a defender with good technique and composure can help to calm things down when Panama come under increasing pressure from the Belgians.
Any Panama success is likely to come through a clean sheet and Escobar will have to be at his imposing best.
Talking Points
Panama’s defence
Despite doubts about Roberto Martinez, Belgium are a much better side going forward than they were under his predecessor Marc Wilmots.
Whilst Panama only conceded one goal in recent outings against Northern Ireland and Norway, the 6-0 drubbing at the hands of Switzerland in March will still hurt them, and they will have to play out of their skins if they are to keep a potentially rampant Belgian attack at bay.
REUTERS/Carlos Lemos
Both centre backs Roman Torres and Fidel Escobar ply their trade in MLS, so they are at least used to playing against a relatively high level of attacker, but this will be another step up altogether.
Torres, however, has been injured recently and may not be up to full fitness, hampering him in his attempts to quell Belgium’s firepower.
David vs Goliath
The group stage of this World Cup is likely to be characterised by underdog sides playing extremely defensively against better teams.
This could be an early indicator of how smaller sides will get on, and whether minnows stifling their more talented rivals could become a recurring theme throughout the tournament.
Belgium’s very attacking formation is likely to untested by Panama, and this should actually be the perfect kind of game for the way they play.
Prediction: Belgium 4-0 Panama
It’s hard to look past a Belgium victory, and a convincing one at that.
If they score in the first half, the floodgates could open, and the Red Devils could lay down a marker in their opening game.
Expect Hazard, De Bruyne and Mertens to cause havoc in the Panama defence. Belgium will be judged on sterner tests, but this should be the perfect opening game for them to ease into the tournament.
It’s the first game of Group G at the finals and we’ve got all the latest news ahead of the match in Sochi
World Cup 2018 is under way and the games across Russia have thrilled us but what will Belgium v Panama have in store.
It’s the first match in Group G, which includes England, and sees a Red Devils side chock full of Premier League talent take on the lesser known lights of the Red Tide.
Thibaut Courtois (Belgium): “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him [Eden Hazard] train or play as amazing as in the last three games. I think he has reached another level of his game.
“I don’t think it is only Eden we need at his best. I think we need Romelu (Lukaku) to score goals, for Kevin (De Bruyne) to play like at (Manchester) City. I think if you want to go far you need your players to be at their best.
“I think we have the quality, we have the talent and we know each other very well. Most of us are in peak form of our football life, we feel confident. I think we are outsiders to win but we have a chance to go far and as a team we believe. We don’t want to say we will win but we have the quality to.”
Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois takes questions at a press conference.
Jaime Penedo (Panama): “We can be an example and leave a legacy in Panama for future World Cups.
“It’s pivotal, to be here at a World Cup. It’s one of the most wonderful things in your career.
“We have to remember that some teams may be feeling cool and calm, but not because they’re facing us. Everyone gives their best. I don’t think teams will be overconfident facing us.”
Costa Rica goalkeeper Jaime Penedo takes questions at a press conference.
Predicted XIs
Belgium: Thibaut Courtois; Jan Vertonghen, Dedryck Boyata, Toby Alderweireld; Axel Witsel, Kevin De Bruyne, Yannick Carrasco, Thomas Meunier; Dries Mertens, Eden Hazard; Romelu Lukaku.
Out: Vincent Kompany and Thomas Vermaelen.
Panama: Jaime Penedo; Roman Torres, Fidel Escobar, Eric Davis, Michael Murillo; Gabriel Gomez, Anibal Godoy, Armando Cooper, Edgar Barcenas, Jose Luis Rodriguez; Blas Perez.
Belgium players line up ahead of their pre-World Cup friendly against Costa Rica.
Key player
Belgium
Their current ‘golden generation’ is full of world class players, but the pick of the bunch is Kevin De Bruyne. The Manchester City midfielder is enjoying the best season of his career under Pep Guardiola, and if he can continue this form into this summer’s tournament, Belgium will take some stopping.
Manchester City and Belgium midfield ace Kevin De Bruyne.
Panama
Panama’s top scorer throughout qualifying with 11 goals was forward Blas Perez. The 37-year-old has played in a number of countries throughout his 20-year career, including his homeland, as well as Uruguay, Colombia, Spain, Mexico and the United States.
World Cup 2018: Belgium Preview
With Belgium's Golden Generation coming into the peak of their footballing lives, now is the time for them to push for silverware.
There can only be so long in a football team’s existence that they are labelled ‘dark horses’ before the realisation is made that they are actually just a very good side.
For Belgium, European football’s dark horses, this natural evolution has been complicated by a series of managerial appointments that have raised eyebrows around the fraternities of international football.
The most recent of these, Roberto Martinez – ably assisted by Thierry Henry – has perhaps offered something of an upgrade on his predecessor Marc Wilmots. However, it remains to be seen how De Rode Duivels perform in Russia this summer.
On paper, their squad is good enough to hold off any comers. International football, though, is less about personnel and more about making eleven players work well together over a relatively short stretch of time.
The (to most people inexplicable) omission of Radja Nainggolan from the 28-man provisional squad suggests that Martinez is thinking about inter-personal dynamics as well as intrinsic talent. If Belgium fail to impress, though, it will be upon the Spaniard’s head.
Route to Russia
Group H of the European World Cup Qualifiers presented Belgium with very few problems in the end and they comfortably rode out the group leaders a full nine points ahead of Greece in second place.
In the end, Greece were the only team who caused Roberto Martinez’s side with any problems when they drew 1-1 in March. However, this was simply a blip in an otherwise exemplary qualifying process.
Elsewhere in the group, Belgium managed some cricket scores: scoring three or more in seven of their ten games with a 9-0 drubbing of Gibraltar and an 8-1 win over Estonia being the highlights.
By the time the group came to a conclusion, Romelu Lukaku had racked up 11 goals, his closest challengers being Eden Hazard and Kostas Mitroglou on six.
Starting XI
The Belgian Men’s National Football Team has an embarrassment of riches at its disposal with only a couple of thin spots in the squad.
Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois has been a stalwart for the team for a number of years now. He’ll be protected by the two Tottenham centre-backs, Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld, playing alongside one of Thomas Vermaelen or Vincent Kompany.
With Radja Nainggolan omitted, it looks likely that Martinez will go with a Kevin De Bruyne/Axel Witsel two-man midfield flanked by Yannick Carrasco and Thomas Meunier with the option of Nacer Chadli or Jordan Lukaku on the bench.
In the front three positions, Belgium have the enviable forward options of Eden Hazard and Dries Mertens supporting Romelu Lukaku.
Key Player
With a player like Kevin De Bruyne in the side, it is hard to look beyond him to determine where the difference will come for Belgium.
Reuters/Carl Recine
While Mohamed Salah was an obvious choice for the PFA Player of the Year in the Premier League at the end of the season, De Bruyne was the more subtle option.
Where the midfielder makes a difference is in his ability to create chances, picking up the highest number of assists and second assists (the pass before the assist) in the Premier League last season.
Given that Belgium have a front three who will thrive off chance creation, De Bruyne will be the linchpin around which the Belgium attacking play will pivot.
Get that right and De Rode Duivels could cause a few upsets in the later stages of the tournament.
Group stage matchup
As the highest seeds in the group, the expectation will be that Belgium top their group.
However, given their infamous struggles to perform in competition over the last decade, their top-heavy team and a manager who is already under pressure before the tournament has even begun, it could well be the case that their main rivals - England - pip them to the post.
With Tunisia and Panama the other two teams in the group, it would be highly unlikely for Belgium to undergo a group-stage upset.
Prediction
The two teams who finish in the top two places in Group G will face one of the two teams finishing in the top spots of Group H with the top team in one group facing the second-placed team in the other group.
Group H includes Poland, Senegal, Colombia and Japan and, although it seems likely that Japan will finish last, after that it's anyone's guess in one of the most open groups in the competition.
Belgium should be able to beat any of Poland, Senegal or Colombia. However, regardless of their route through the Round of 16 they will almost certainly come up against Brazil or Germany.
A quarter-final finish, then, seems like the best outcome for Belgium.
REUTERS/Francois Walschaerts
REUTERS/Carlos Lemos
REUTERS/Francois Walschaerts
REUTERS/Carlos Lemos
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