Canadians keep Belgium on toes in FIFA World Cup match

AL RAYYAN, November 24

Michy Batshuayi scored and Thibaut Courtois saved a penalty as a lacklustre Belgium opened their World Cup campaign on Wednesday with a scrappy 1-0 win over an energetic Canada side returning to the finals for first time in 36 years.

Leading the Belgian attack in the absence of injured talisman Romelu Lukaku, Batshuayi scored against the run of play on the stroke of halftime to put the Red Devils top of Group F ahead of Morocco and Croatia who earlier drew 0-0.

Despite getting the win, Belgium coach Roberto Martinez was far from satisfied with his team’s lethargic display as the Red Devils managed only nine attempts on goal to 21 for Canada.

If not for the lack of a Canadian finisher and a penalty save by Courtois from Alphonso Davies the result could have been very different for second-ranked Belgium. “We win, that’s the most important thing today,” said Martinez. “As always, we still have to grow in this tournament and improve things. Many top teams have lost, because you always have to grow at a World Cup.”

In their only other World Cup appearance in Mexico in 1986, Canada lost all three matches and failed to score a goal. Despite an inspired effort decades later, the result remained the same as Canada walked off Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium pitch with another loss and failure to find the back of the net. Canada looked as if they would register their long-awaited first goal when Belgium’s Yannick Carrasco handled the ball in the 11th minute and Davies stepped up to take the penalty with the Canadian supporters the Voyageurs roaring.

Courtois denied Davies a historic goal by stopping his weak spot-kick. — Reuters

Uruguay, S Korea play out a draw

Al Rayyan: Uruguay defender Diego Godin and midfielder Federico Valverde both hit the woodwork as the South Americans were held to a 0-0 draw by South Korea in their opening World Cup Group H game today. Wearing a black mask to protect a facial fracture, Son Heung-min started for the South Koreans, yet it was team mate Hwang Ui-jo who came closest to breaking the deadlock, but he scooped his shot over the bar with the goal at his mercy. reuters