SEATTLE (AP) — Seeking to avoid repeat of earlier tragedy world cup Belgium, who will leave the league in 2022, got off to a lackluster start.
Romelu Lukaku came on in the 66th minute against Egypt on Monday, and the veteran striker immediately created a scoring chance that led to an equalizing own goal, but that was all Belgium could manage. With a 1-1 draw.
“There are no easy games in the World Cup,” coach Rudi Garcia said in French.
Probably not, but Belgium was expected to handle the Egyptian squad, which has never won a World Cup. Rather, the speed of Egypt’s young players outmaneuvered the Red Devils in the first half and turned the Pharaohs into attackers.
“We know we started the game poorly,” captain Youri Tielemans said.
The question now is whether Belgium can make their final World Cup appearance with the remaining veterans of the ‘Golden Generation’ of stars. Lukaku at 33 years old And there are two 34-year-old midfielders. kevin de bruyne and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Belgium has held the top spot in the FIFA rankings for several years and achieved their best result at the World Cup in 2018, when they finished third in Russia.
However, four years later, the team performed poorly in Qatar, and although they entered the tournament expecting to win, they were unable to advance to the final tournament.
Since the FIFA rankings were introduced in 1992, Belgium and the Netherlands are the only teams without a World Cup title to remain in the top spot.
The Red Devils entered this year’s World Cup in 10th place, by far the highest in Group G, which also included Iran (25th), Egypt (29th) and New Zealand (79th).
Lukaku, Belgium’s career goal leader, is recovering from a hamstring injury. Less than a minute after he came on as a substitute, Belgium tied the game.
“He’s a target man,” Tielemans said. “He needs to increase his fitness, which is natural after being out for the season, but he helps us in this way.”
De Bruyne and Hans Vanaken were substituted in the 85th minute.
With 32 teams advancing to the finals of this expanded World Cup, it will be easier than ever to advance, but there is less room for error for Belgium as they face Iran in Inglewood, California, on Sunday.
“We have to defeat Iran. There are no two ways around it,” Garcia said.
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Connor Joyce is a student at the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports and Media Institute.
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
