QATAR 2022: CANADA BOWS TO BELGIUM 0-1 IN GROUP F OPENING MATCH

By Eniola Olatunji

Alphonso Davies missed a golden chance to record his name as first ever goal scorer for Canada when he kicked an outstandingly weak penalty shot that Real Madrid Goalkeeper Tony Courtois parried safely in the 11th minute of play in a Group F encounter against Belgium at the Qatar world cup tournament.

Unrated Canada just ranked 41 in the world lining up against Belgium ranked 2nd was a mismatch on paper but the North Americans shook the Belgians who managed a grim victory by a lone goal scored by Michy Batshuayi in the 44th minute from a Toby Alderweireld assist.

The Red Devils of Belgium really missed lanky Romea Lukaku their highest scorer who is nursing a muscle injury and Yani Caraso who caused the penalty had to bite his lips looking into heaven about four times probably thanking God that Alphonso did not score whereas a Canadian based Nigerian Pastor, Nosa Idahosa quickly lamented on his FaceBook page: “we lost a penalty”.

Belgium is the only European country with a long record of attendance, 14th but has never lifted the trophy. Their greatest achievement was beating the Three Lions of England 2-0 in the last tournament of 2018 to bag the Bronze. The Devils placed 4th in 1986.

Heaven must have approved victory for the Belgians though on the other thinking, inexperience ‘killed’ the Les Rouges (The Reds) of Canada who dominated the game with 54% to 46% possession bombarding the Belgians especially in the first Half with a total 11 shots on target to just 3 from Belgium.

The assumption of inexperience showed in the statistics with 18 goal kicks to Belgium and 7 to Canada; 4 corner kicks each but 11 foul calls to Belgium and 14 to Canada with 3 yellow cards to Belgium and 2 to Canada all indicating one thing – Canada did not come to the field to show respect to their senior football brothers. Simple. It also shows Canada may come smoking in their next match like the Rumble in the jungle of Mohammed Ali versus Joe Frazer.

It will be operation BLOW OUT CROATIA OR GO HOME for Canada on Sunday at 5pm West African Time after Belgium would have tasted Africa’s physical football against Morocco. Group F may end in photo finish depending on Sunday results.

On Thursday, we shall see end of round one of Group stages when the big boys step out. The Lions of Cameroon will play Serbia and Montgomery at 11am and then the Samba Boys of Brazil versus Switzerland at 1700 hours in Group G.

Group H will feature Scotland versus Ghana that ousted Nigeria at 1400 hours before the tough one in Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal versus Uruguay at 2000 hours.