| Belgium vs Canada |
|---|
| SCHEDULE | TIME |
|---|---|
| GAME | Belgium vs Canada |
| DATE | 22/11/2022 |
| TIME | 12:30 AM (Indian Standard Time) |
| ARENA | Ahmed bin Ali Stadium |
| LEAGUE | FIFA World Cup 2022 |
| FULL TIME |
|---|
| 1-0 |
Match Preview of Belgium vs Canada
Canada will play their first World Cup fixture in 36 years when they face Belgium at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium on Wednesday.
For Belgium, this represents the final chance for a lot of their 'Golden Generation' to win a major tournament.
Belgium boss Roberto Martinez is also now under pressure to produce for the nation, as defeats in Euro 2020 and the previous Nations League's finals have caused discontent among supporters.
They qualified with consummate ease once again during UEFA qualifying, averaging over three goals per game, but they often underperform when it really matters at major tournaments, such as their defeat against Italy in last summer's European Championships.
Martinez has been accused of not knowing how to win, especially following their Nations League elimination to France, where they lost to a late Theo Hernandez strike after being 2-0 up.
Losing home and away to neighbours Netherlands recently did not go down well either, plus a defeat to Egypt in a warm-up friendly means they have lost back-to-back games, and they have not lost three on the spin since 2014.
There is no doubting the talent they have going forward though, fronted by Manchester City maestro Kevin De Bruyne.
Sixteen goals at the 2018 World Cup saw them top the scoring charts as a nation, as Martinez's style of play accommodates attacking talent very well, with his time at Everton proving this too, as Romelu Lukaku kickstarted his career under the management of Martinez in the Premier League.
However, Lukaku's injury troubles mean that Martinez will need to choose an alternative up front, and Michy Batshuayi's form in Turkey has been impressive this season in addition to his excellent scoring stats for Belgium, as the ex-Chelsea man has a record better than one goal every two games for his country.
While the mood in the Belgian camp may not be the best at the moment, spirits could not be any higher in the Canadian squad under John Herdman.
They scored the most goals and conceded the fewest as the Maple Leafs topped the final section of qualification in the CONCACAF region ahead of Mexico and the USA.
For a largely young and inexperienced squad at this level, Canada can use this tournament as a free hit in their preparation for the 2026 World Cup on home soil.
Our Predicted Lineups
Belgium possible starting lineup:Courtois; Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Debast; Meunier, Tielemans, Witsel, Castagne; De Bruyne, Batshuayi, E Hazard
Canada possible starting lineup: starting lineup:Borjan; Laryea, Johnston, Steven Vitoria, K Miller, Adekugbe; Buchanan, Hutchinson, Eustaquio; David, Larin
Who will win the match?
We say: Belgium 2-1 Canada. Despite a tricky build up, Belgium should have enough class in the side to beat an inexperienced Canadian outfit. Davies will be a big miss for Canada should he not feature, but there are goals in this Canada team and they have built brilliant defensive foundations in recent years, which could frustrate Belgium at times.