Representative: Afrizal Rosikhul Ilmi /
Red: Gilang Akbar Prambadi
Belgium national team coach Roberto Martinez issued a press release ahead of the game against Canada which will take place on Thursday (24/11/2022) at 02:00 a.m. WIB
Canada was last at the World Cup in 1986.
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, DOHA — Coach of the Belgian national team Roberto Martinez ensuring that his team has the utmost respect for Canada who are about to play their first World Cup game in 36 years. The two teams will meet on Matchday 1 of Group F World Cup 2022 Qatar at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Thursday (24/11/2022) in the morning WIB.
Martinez’s side finished third in the 2018 World Cup in Russia and will be more favorites to win the match against Canada who are in the World Cup final for the first time since 1986. With that, Belgium face to a similar proposition in 2018 when she beat the tournament. debutants, Panama 3-0 in their opening game.
“We have a lot of respect for what Canada has achieved because when you finish top of the (qualifying) group ahead of national teams like the United States and Mexico, that’s something substantial, it’s not is no coincidence,” Martinez said ahead of the game, as quoted by The Hindu, Wednesday (11/23/2022).
“They look like a team, not just a group of players who come together to play for the national team. It’s a very dangerous situation, when you play against a team that has //nothing to lose// We saw it with Panama for 50 minutes, and we have to follow that enthusiasm,” Martinez said.
Belgium is a strong country that occupies second place in the FIFA rankings behind Brazil. But when they played a warm-up friendly against Egypt last week in Kuwait, they lost 1-2. “Friendlies are important to us and we see them almost as competitive training sessions,” Martinez said.
“I think it was a very good starting point. It’s good sometimes to feel that you’re not there yet. It was a wake-up call for us. Maybe the defeat will speed up the process,” added the former Everton manager.
Meanwhile, Belgium’s top scorer Romelu Lukaku will miss his first two games as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury. Captain Eden Hazard has also struggled to get playing time at Real Madrid due to his form and fitness issues.
But veteran defender Jan Vertonghen said Belgium would be ready, despite unusual preparations for the first World Cup to be played halfway through a European club season. “(Normally) you can close the season with your club and then have time to work with your (national) team, the team you don’t work with as much, and get a taste of the tournament,” Vertonghen said. .
“A lot of teams haven’t played together since September and that’s not good. Everything is completely different, but the World Cup trophy is the same and that’s the main thing,” he said. underline.
The Canadian national team absent from the World Cup for 36 years
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