World Cup 2018, France vs Belgium: Key Battles within 'The Battle'
The 2018 FIFA World Cup has reached its penultimate stage and we have a classic in store for us at Saint-Petersburg. Two European superpowers, France and Belgium, would indulge in a bid to outdo the other to stake their claim for a place in the final.
In the quarterfinal, France got the better of Uruguay 2-0. The goals were scored by Raphael Varane and Antoine Griezmann. France were not troubled throughout and were solid defensively. In the attacking third, they caused problems for Uruguay on a regular basis and always kept them on the back foot.
Belgium, meanwhile, posted a comprehensive victory over five-time winners, Brazil. Kevin De Bruyne’s stunner, in addition to Fernandinho’s own goal, laid the foundation of their success. They were menacing on the counter-attack and created chances at will. Thibaut Courtois had a magnificent game with the gloves. He made 9 saves in all and was on hand to bail Belgium out, whenever the going got tough.
France and Belgium have immense quality throughout their ranks. Hence, it is a very difficult task to predict a winner. There would be a lot of battles within ‘The Battle’ across the pitch.
With the clash edging closer, we take a look at these crucial match-ups that would go a long way in deciding who gets their shot at World Cup glory come the 15th of July.
#1 Kevin De Bruyne vs N’Golo Kante
Roberto Martinez sprung a surprise in the quarterfinal when he deployed De Bruyne in an advanced role. De Bruyne, however, repaid the faith the manager had shown in him with a marvellous strike. Even against France, De Bruyne is expected to start as part of the front three with Fellaini taking his place in midfield. Though he ripped Fernandinho to pieces on Friday, tackling Kante is a different proposition altogether.
At present, Kante is the best defensive midfielder on the planet. He has mastered the difficult art of playing football with simplicity. He is exceptional at reading the game and covers every blade of grass whenever he takes the field. Throughout the tournament, Kante has been a calming influence and provides steel to a team full of creative artists.
De Bruyne and Kante have come face to face in the Premier League with Manchester City and Chelsea respectively. De Bruyne had the wood on Kante in both games this season and he would be looking to repeat it in the semi-final. Kante, however, is a very smart footballer. He would have planned for De Bruyne and one can expect him to have something up his sleeve when they lock horns on Tuesday.
The outcome of this battle would have a huge impact on the game. If Kante can curtail De Bruyne’s play-making abilities, France would move a step closer to victory. However, if Kante is unable to fend off the De Bruyne threat, Belgium might just march on towards their first World Cup final.