Belgium not taking anything for granted in Senegal last-32 clash
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SEATTLE, June 30 : Belgium enter their World Cup round of 32 match against Senegal on Wednesday with momentum and a fully fit squad, but coach Rudy Garcia said being favourites was no guarantee in knockout games.
Belgium laboured in opening draws against Egypt and Iran before sparking to life with a 5-1 win over New Zealand that sent them through as Group G winners and kept them in Seattle, their home during the tournament, for Wednesday’s match.
Belgium have everyone available for the first time at this World Cup, Garcia said. Winger Jeremy Doku missed time for his son’s birth and a brief illness, while defender Zeno Debast is fit to play after missing the group stage with a leg problem.
Debast, who was injured last month training with his Portuguese club Sporting, might not start against Senegal, and “he’s going to need some time to get back to 100 per cent of his capacities and his potential,” Garcia told reporters on Tuesday.
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“But it’s not going to be a problem, because ever since the start of the competition, we have shown a very strong defence.”
Belgium gave up two goals in the group stage – one to Egypt and one to New Zealand.
With a healthy squad, Garcia has many options off the bench. “What matters is not only the starting eleven,” he said.
Striker Romelu Lukaku helped force Egypt to net an own goal seconds after coming on in the second half of Belgium’s 1-1 draw in Seattle to open their group stage games.
Match conditions on Wednesday are forecast to be cool and overcast – and better than the high temperatures during Belgium’s opener with Egypt when Garcia complained that heat and dry grass made it difficult for his team to play fluidly.
FAVOURITES TAG MEANS LITTLE
Germany’s shootout exit to Paraguay and the Netherlands’ defeat by Morocco show that being favourites to win means little at this stage of the tournament.
“There are no small (in stature) squads,” Garcia said. “Even if you’re a favourite on paper, which was the case for Germany, you can lose.”
Senegal, who emerged from a difficult group including France, Norway and Iraq, present a different challenge, he said.
Garcia described them as “very fast,” “very strong,” technical and well organised defensively.
Senegal qualified for the knockout phase as a third-placed team but they are far stronger than their group stage finish suggested, the Belgium coach said.
The match also carries a personal thread for Garcia, who worked with Senegal coach Pape Thiaw at Saint-Etienne and recalled helping push him as a young player.
Thiaw is “a wonderful player, and he’s a wonderful coach as well,” Garcia said. “I’m very happy for him. But I’m going to defeat him,” he added.
Source: Reuters
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