"The golden generation" Martinez defends Belgium and plays down unrest
Croatia and Belgium are facing off in a crucial Group F fixture at the 2022 World Cup.
Croatia come into the game top of the group with four points from their opening two matches after beating Canada and drawing with Morocco, and know that a draw will see them through to the last 16. Belgium also beat Canada but then lost to Morocco to leave them third in the group and on the brink of World Cup elimination.
Unless Canada thrash Morocco, then Belgium must win today in order to qualify for the knockout stages, but 2018 runners-up Croatia will not be easy to overcome. They have the easiest task, knowing that a draw guarantees them progression.
Follow all the World Cup action below:
Croatia 0-0 Belgium
23 mins: Belgium just look a little slow in their play. It’s as though they’re not sure how best to attack Croatia and by the time they’ve figured it out the Croatians have pressed and are on top of them.
Croatia 0-0 Belgium
20 mins: Belgium will feel as though they got away with one there. Luka Modric was all set to smash home the spot kick before it got overturned.
NO PENALTY! Croatia 0-0 Belgium
17 mins: There’s a pause in proceedings as Anthony Taylor is called over to the pitchside monitor by VAR to check for a possible offside in the build-up.
The referee looks at the replays and overturns his decision!
Penalty to Croatia!
14 mins: Huge moment! Croatia dink a free kick into the area and Jan Vertonghen wins the initial header. He nods it to Yannick Carrasco who gives the ball away with a heavy touch.
Andrej Kramaric nicks it and is then clipped by Carrasco before going down in the box.
Croatia 0-0 Belgium
12 mins: Close! Dries Mertens makes a nice darting run in behind and gets played into the right side of the penalty area. He fizzes a pass across the six-yard box and picks out Yannick Carrasco whose simple effort is turned behind by a Josip Juranovic deflection.
The resultant corner comes to nothing for Belgium.
Croatia 0-0 Belgium
9 mins: Leandro Trossard and Josko Gvardiol come together as Trossard attempts to hold up the ball in the middle of the pitch. He does well to keep the defender at bay and wins Belgium a free kick.
They work it nicely into the final third where Yannick Carrasco takes a shot that Marcelo Brozovic gets in behind and blocks.
Croatia 0-0 Belgium
6 mins: In the other Group F match taking place right now Hakim Ziyech has scored for Morocco against Canada already.
That means as it stands Belgium must beat Croatia in order to reach the last-16. Croatia will go through if this ends in a draw.
Croatia 0-0 Belgium
3 mins: Belgium are settling down after that early chance. A long ball is booted up the pitch and is beautifully brought down by Leandro Trossard.
He spins away from a challenge and looks to pick out Yannick Carrasco on the edge of the box but his pass gets intercepted.
Kick off: Croatia 0-0 Belgium
Croatia get the ball rolling in this crucial World Cup group stage outing. Whoever loses is likely to go home.
The ball comes over to Luka Modric who fires a long diagonal over to Ivan Perisic on the left side of the penalty area. Perisic brings the ball down, rolls it onto his right foot and blasts one wide of the far post!
Massive chance straightaway for Croatia!
Croatia vs Belgium
Here come the teams.
Luka Modric leads out Croatia with Kevin De Bruyne captaining Belgium after Eden Hazard was dropped to the bench. Belgium have never lost back-to-back matches under Roberto Martinez but if they do so tonight they’ll be out of the World Cup.
