Belgium out of World Cup as Croatia advances with 0-0 draw

The ball reached Romelu Lukaku proper in entrance of aim with seconds remaining. Rating, and he’d ship Belgium into the spherical of 16 of the World Cup.

By some means, he missed.

Belgium and its getting older era of gamers have been eradicated from the match Thursday after a 0-0 draw with Croatia, which superior because the second-place workforce in Group F behind Morocco.

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Minutes after the sport, Belgium coach Roberto Martinez introduced he’d be leaving his position after greater than six years — a choice he stated he had reached earlier than the World Cup began.

His departure may simply have been delayed.

Romelu Lukaku, Belgium’s document scorer however solely just lately again from damage, got here on as a halftime substitute and squandered a number of nice probabilities, one of the best coming in stoppage time when Thorgan Hazard’s cross fell to him on the again put up, barely two yards out. The ball struck Lukaku’s midriff and as a substitute of rolling into the web, it bounced again throughout the entrance of the aim and was gathered by Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic.

Earlier, Lukaku hit the within of the put up with the aim just about unguarded. One other probability, from a header in entrance of aim, sailed over the bar following a cross from Kevin De Bruyne.

Lukaku punched the facet of the dugout as he walked off after the ultimate whistle, knocking the plexiglass display misplaced. Moments earlier, he was sobbing within the arms of Belgium assistant coach Thierry Henry.

“We may have gained this sport by three targets, and we’d be strolling away feeling very totally different,” Martinez stated.

“I believed (Lukaku) moved very properly, acquired in nice conditions, and what was lacking was the end. It was the distinction between hitting the put up and getting in and hitting the put up and going out.”

Croatia, the 2018 runner-up led by Luka Modric, will try and make one other deep run on the World Cup after additionally reaching the semi-finals in 1998.

The Croats will subsequent play Japan on Monday.

“This can be a workforce mixture of expertise and youth,” stated Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić, who added of Belgium: “We have been fortunate that they didn’t take their probabilities.”

Belgium is going through the break-up of its proficient however underachieving squad after failing to stay as much as its standing because the second-ranked workforce and one of many match favorites. What has lengthy been known as Belgium’s “Golden Era” — now that includes six gamers with greater than 100 appearances — is about to separate with the World Cup semi-final look in 2018 as its peak.

The workforce, which has confronted stories of infighting and divisions between gamers throughout the match in Qatar, scored just one aim in three video games and saved its finest efficiency till its remaining match. It got here too late.

The health problems with Lukaku — injured for many of this season with thigh and hamstring issues — have proved to be an enormous blow for the workforce. The Inter Milan striker missed the 1-0 win over Canada, got here on as an 81st-minute substitute within the 2-0 loss to Morocco, after which performed the second half towards Croatia.

All through the match, De Bruyne specifically has discovered himself in nice positions across the space however with nobody to feed.

With Lukaku there, Belgium instantly had a presence up entrance to concern Croatia’s defence, even when he was visibly not absolutely match. His lack of match sharpness proved pricey when it got here to his ending.

De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku will probably be again for the European Championship in 2024 and possibly the subsequent World Cup in 2026. However the likes of Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld, Axel Witsel and Dries Mertens might need performed their final main match.

Possibly even Eden Hazard, who was dropped for the Croatia sport and — on the age of 31 — has misplaced his previous powers after so many accidents.

Martinez, who’s more likely to resume his profession as a membership coach, stated he had extra regrets concerning the loss to Morocco than the draw with Croatia.

“I believe at the moment we have been ourselves once more,” he stated.

Croatia was awarded a penalty within the fifteenth minute when Andrej Kramaric tumbled underneath the problem of Yannick Carrasco. The choice was overturned after an offside was noticed on video overview, with Modric able to take the penalty.

Dalić described Josko Gvardiol because the “finest defender on this planet” after the middle again produced a clearance off Lukaku’s bootlaces within the remaining minutes. “He’s solely 20,” Dalić stated. “Even when he’s not at the moment primary, he’ll change into primary.”

Belgium did not get out of its group for less than the second time in its final eight appearances on the World Cup. The opposite time was in 1998.