Euro 2016: Belgium Rebound in Group E
Belgium rebound in Group E with a comfortable 3-0 win over the Republic of Ireland in their second match of Euro 2016. After a lacklustre and somewhat muted start to the campaign against Italy in their first game, this victory will do wonders for their confidence. They now appear to be back on track.
To contextualise, however, the Republic of Ireland were poor opponents. They were second best pretty much all over the pitch and rarely looked like offering anything going forward. Ireland relied on a resolute defensive display and the hope that one meaningful chance might fall their way. This was a plan that only remained intact for the first forty five minutes, however.
That the game remained at 0-0 for the first half, it should be said, owed as much to Belgium’s ineffective play as it did to Ireland’s.
Team Changes
Marc Wilmots either took heed of his critics after the first game or actually figured out that some change was needed. Rumours of a behind-the-scenes bust up after the match against Italy, involving Wilmots and some of his players (most notably Thibaut Courtois), was passed off as merely a frank exchange of views and ideas. Whatever happened after that game, Wilmots ensured that changes were made to his starting line-up.
Out went Radja Nainggolan, Marouane Fellaini and Laurent Ciman and in came Mousa Dembélé, Yannick Carrasco and a more attacking right back in Thomas Meunier.
Meunier gave Belgium some attacking intent and some welcome width in their play on the right side. The absence of Fellaini meant that they had also removed the temptation to play long passes and crosses to him as a target and adopt a more methodical approach to their play. Dembélé was an improvement on Nainggolan, who had offered very little against Italy, however, an injury to Dembélé in the 57th minute saw these two swap places once more.
Match Review
It seemed that Belgium were intent on continuing their tepid display from the previous game in the first half. They advanced into good areas, although they refrained from making the final forward pass until it was too late, often choosing instead to hold on the ball for longer than necessary and opting for a sideways or backward pass. Patience is a good trait in football; however, the pace of their play was far too slow. Romelu Lukaku seemed desperate to make up for a poor showing against Italy, but none of his runs counted for anything as the ball rarely arrived.
It wasn’t until the second half in which Belgium seemed to awake from their slumber and, once the first goal went in, there was only going to be one winner in this game. Ironically, the move started in Belgium’s own penalty area and was a classic counter-attacking goal. Ireland probably should have had a penalty as Toby Alderweireld cleared a cross with a high boot that seemed to connect with Shane Long’s head. Claims for an Irish penalty were waived away by the referee. In just a few seconds, Kevin De Bruyne was in Ireland’s half and squaring the ball to a gleeful Romelu Lukaku who slotted it in low at the bottom corner of the Ireland goal.
In the 61st minute, a cross from Meunier was met in the Irish penalty area by the oncoming Axel Witsel, who rose unmarked amidst a sea of static Irish defenders to power a header down low past Darren Randolph to make it 2-0.
Nine minutes later, it was 3-0 as Belgium once more broke away after winning the ball almost on their own goal-line near the corner flag. Eden Hazard evaded an ill-thought challenge by an Irish defender on the half-way line and, with the Belgians streaming forward, the ball was passed neatly to Lukaku who netted his second and the team’s third.
It could have become embarrassing for the Irish thereafter, but with the game clearly won, the Belgians saw the match out and, with a welcome three points in the bag, they now sit second in Group E behind Italy. A draw against Sweden will see them advance to the next round.
Analysis
Whatever had indeed happened amongst this Belgian squad after the Italy game may very well have been the catalyst for an improved display against Ireland. It needed to be. The celebrations after each goal tended to include members of the coaching staff as goal-scorers made a somewhat choreographed beeline for the technical area, but the message was clear. The Belgians had decided to be a team after all and, if this was how they would get that message to the watching public, then so be it.
It was also clear that the Belgians are at their most potent when counter-attacking. They have struggled to break down stubborn defences for a game-and-a-half so far, and it is only the latest forty five minutes of football they have played that has demonstrated what they are capable of. They will have to move the ball a lot quicker and with increased purpose if they are to beat some of the more favoured teams in this tournament going forward.
Lukaku also bounced back positively and showed that, if you feed him the ball in the right areas, then he will score more often than not. He was awful against Italy but Wilmots should be credited with persevering with him and the decision clearly paid off.
Belgium now look forward to playing Sweden on 22nd June. Not only will they be looking for the one point needed for automatic qualification to the next round, they will also be hoping that their performance improves incrementally in their hope to win Euro 2016.
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