This Tuesday, Belgium won the first of two friendlies they will play before the start of the 2026 World Cup. The Belgian team won on the trip to Croatia, 2-0. Zeno Debast, Sporting’s defender who was called up for the World Cup, is recovering from injury and was not part of the scoresheet.
Key details
The first half had few great opportunities for real danger, but it was just before the break that the score underwent its first change. In the 36th minute, Doku advanced from the left and crossed low. Sutalo, a Croatian defender, tried to cut the ball, but it went against De Cuyper and fell to Tielemans, who didn’t waste the opportunity to make it 1-0.
The answer came five minutes later, with a shot from veteran Luka Modric, which forced a great save from Courtois. In the second half, Luka Sucic crossed in the middle of the area and striker Budimir headed it against the post.
It was precisely in this way that Belgium also came close to scoring again, but Vanaken, served by Tielemans, headed the ball towards the opponent’s goal post. In the end, the hosts risked everything in the fight for a draw, they gave space for the counterattack and Lukaku took advantage to, at 90’+6, make the final 2-0 in this way.
Belgium, which is in group G of the World Cup with Egypt, Iran and New Zealand, will still play Tunisia before making its debut in the competition. Croatia, which is in group L, with England, Ghana and Panama, will have a new friendly with Slovenia.
Read more in Serie A news. and related tags: Zeno Debast, Sporting.