Cape Town - Belgium were outclassed and humbled by the impressive Moroccans in their last game, and their 2022 World Cup hopes hang by a thread as they face Croatia in this crunch match.
Unconvincing displays and nasty feuding among Belgian team members, most notably Kevin de Bruyne and Jan Vertonghen, have thrown the Belgium camp in disarray as the country’s ‘Golden Generation’ looks to unravel.
The experienced Croatians could deal Roberto Martinez’s men a hammer blow in the huge game. Luka Modric’s team top the group, having overcome an early scare against Canada to run out rampant 4-1 winners against the North Americans.
They won’t fear the Belgians, who, with all their talent, will have to find some grit and backbone if they want to get the better of the tough Croatians.
With Morocco’s confidence sky high, the North Africans are fancied to beat Canada to clinch a knock-out spot in the other match in this group, which would make the Belgium-Croatia game a winner-takes-all tussle.
Croatia have all the defensive qualities you would expect from them, with Dejan Lovren in their back line, but in Modric, Ivan Perisic Adrej Kramaric, Marko Livaja and Lovro Majer ,they also have plenty of wonderfully skilled attacking players who have the ability to unlock any defence.
Croatia could well be a little circumspect, knowing a point against Belgium would be enough to secure their qualification, but that’s not how the cauldron of a major final first-round group match works at a World Cup, with everything at stake.
And that’s also not the way Croatia play their football; they’ve built an attacking DNA that will mean they would want to dictate the terms against Belgium.
This is the moment for Belgium to show that they’re not all talent and no teamwork. The players at their disposal are extraordinary – De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Youri Tielemans, Michy Batshuai, Romelu Lukaku and Thibaut Courtois are just some of their stellar names.
But big names on the team sheet don’t win football matches; they need to bring it all together against Croatia – or they will need to pack their bags and head home.
This one is bound to be a World Cup classic. It’s the last chance saloon and Belgium have to somehow turn it on.
Croatia, though, have the quality and the steel to repel Belgium’s best advances. My money is on them to proceed at Belgium’s expense and to get at least the point they need.
Andile Ncube’s Prediction: Belgium 2 Croatia 2
*CATCH THE MATCH LIVE ON SABC SPORT AT 17h00