The biggest sporting event in the world continues with the Group F Belgium v Canada clash that will see if Belgium’s golden generation are going to be title contenders or not. It also sees a welcome return for Canada at the World Cup.
With so many games and so little time, our Group F Belgium v Canada Match Centre tries to sum it all up as quickly as possible before and after the game. We watch and follow the game so you don’t have to.
With answers to the key questions prior to the match and our Minutes that Mattered summary and stats post game, it is a real Who Cares guide to the 2022 World Cup for the person on the go.
Enjoy the Group F Belgium v Canada Match Centre.
KICKOFF – WEDNESDAY 23RD – 22:00 (QATAR) 19:00 (UK) 06:00 (AEDT)
Group F Belgium v Canada Match Review
Belgium get away with a 1-0 win over Canada, but were pushed all the way by the North American team making an overdue re-appearance at the World Cup. Canada also missed a penalty which hurt, as did not converting any of their other 20+ shots.
Minutes that Mattered
Welcome to the briefest of match summaries, like a minute by minute you find on professional websites except one that has only the minutes that matter. All wheat, no chaff.
And if the below isn’t enough, for those in Australia you can catch up via the SBS World Cup on Demand.
1′ Min Early shot from Michy Batshuayi goes straight to the keeper. But bright enough start to be getting a shot on target this early.
2′ Min Bright enough start for the underdogs Canada too with a few attacks on the Belgian defence in the first minutes. They look ready for an upset.
7′ Min Corner to Canada. The shot by Buchanan takes a massive deflection and is well saved by the Belgian keeper. The Canadians appeal for handball. Which we guess we’ll know about in a minute or so. The referee indeed does halt play a minute later to check using the technology.
PENALTY TO CANADA
The referee gives the penalty and Canada have the chance to take an unlikely lead. Carrasco is booked for the footballing crime too. Canada’s superstar (one of them) Alphonso Davies steps up to take the penalty. And…….
PENALTY SAVED
It was a pretty meek effort from Alphonso Davies with Thibaut Courtois going the right way, but he didn’t have to move far to stop it. A bit of a scramble afterwards saw the ball fly over the cross bar without danger of scoring.
BELGIUM 0 CANADA 0
13′ Min Despite the penalty miss Canada are still pressuring and on top over Belgium here. The football turning into pinball as Canada have shot after shot blocked by a determined Belgian defence. Canada are really holding their own here, so can we get another upset after the big Japan v Germany result.
18′ Min A half break by Kevin de Bruyne goes nowhere as there was no one to give the final ball to. Belgium may regret not having the big man Lukaku available.
23′ Min Corner to Belgium, which ends up being more dangerous for Belgium as a Canadian clearance sends them on a break up field. Nothing comes of that though and the score remains 0-0.
32′ Min A half chance for Canada as Jonathan David gets a lovely cross into the box but David can’t keep the header down. Canada still arguably playing the better football.
38′ Min Canada on the attack again, and Richie Laryea drives into the box and appears to be pushed over by Axel Witsel. It looked pretty pissweak if we’re honest, but that won’t stop VAR finding something technically wrong with it. So play goes on for the meantime, not knowing if VAR has made a decision of not. We presume two minutes later that nothing is going to happen so will move on.
44′ Min GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL FOR BELGIUM
Seemingly out of nowhere Belgium have opened the scoring. From inside his own half Toby Alderweireld goes Route One with a long ball up the middle, and it splits the Canadian defence perfectly to a waiting Michy Batshuayi who nails it on the second half volley to score. Something out of nothing for Belgium, which is what the best sides do.
BELGIUM 1 CANADA 0
45′ +2 Min Canada miss their best chance outside the penalty miss as Tajon Buchanan slides in to meet a cross and puts it over the crossbar from close range. Difficult chance, but one that should have been scored.
HALF TIME – BELGIUM 1 CANADA 0
48′ Min First chance of the second half goes to Canada and it has to be said Jonathan David wasted the great cross into the box from Stephen Eustáquio.
50′ Min Stephen Eustáquio looks to have got the irits from his missed cross before and takes a shot at goal, which goes plenty wide. But still, Canada continue to attack.They aren’t going to take the 1-0 lying down. That comes later if they;re in front and need to kill time.
56′ Min No to keep harping on about it, but Canada are still on top here, with half chances galore. They need to take one soon though.
57′ Min Kilsmann Award nomination for Canada’s Stephen Eustáquio for coping a loose arm to the face and acting like it was a heavyweight bout in a Las Vegas hotel. Onana is booked for Belgium though.
60′ Min Not to alarm anyone but there’s a masked man running around the field. Not doing a particularly good job at hiding his appearance as he still has a name and number on his back.
62′ Min Buchanan takes a shot for Canada that clears the crossbar by about 0 metres. Not to pick on him exactly, more highlighting the wasted chances for Canada as a team. Between the missed chances and penalty miss, they should be at least 2-1 up.
67′ Min Canada showing plenty of resolve in defence too. Canadian cover defenders chasing down a Belgian break to stop Michy Batshuayi from scoring a second.
80′ Min Canada go close again. A wonderful cross from Alistair Johnston into Jonathan Osorio sees the header saved by Thibaut Courtois.
83′ Min Belgium make a break down the left and Alistair Johnston brings down Loïs Openda. The Canadian defender gets a yellow card and Belgium a free kick just outside the corner of the penalty area. Kevin de Bruyne is standing over the ball….and his cross is headed well over the bar.
86′ Min Stats show that Canada have had 21 shots up to this point, which means we aren’t just imagining Canada’s performance tonight.
89′ Min Corner for Canada, which sadly produces just a goal kick for Belgium. Never fear Canada, there will be probably be 23 minutes of added time. So plenty of time left. Correction – only five minutes of added time awarded.
90′ +5 Min Despite their best efforts and many shots, Canada go down 1-0 to Belgium.
Final Score
BELGIUM 1
Michy Batshuayi 44′
CANADA 0
HT Belgium 1-0
Player of the Match
Alphonso Davies
Group F Belgium v Canada Match Stats
Group F Belgium v Canada Starting Teams
BELGIUM (3-4-2-1)
1 Courtois
19 Dendoncker
2 Alderweireld
5 Vertonghen
21 Castagne
8 Tielemans
6 Witsel
11 Carrasco
7 De Bruyne
10 E Hazard
23 Batshuayi
CANADA (3-4-2-1)
18 Borjan
2 Johnston
5 Vitória
4 Miller
22 Laryea
13 Hutchinson
7 Eustáquio
19 Davies
11 Buchanan
10 Hoilett
20 David
Group F Belgium v Canada Match Preview
Why should you care?
Belgium are one of the more fancied teams at this year’s World Cup, and in our 2022 World Cup predictions we have them getting to at least the semi finals. They should have goals with Romelu Lukaku in the side. His returns for Belgium are excellent with 68 goals in 102 games.
Canada may appear to be the lightweights of this group, but we think they may just be a smokey chance for the second knockout stage spot. Not that we think they’ll beat Belgium, but against the other two teams they are a chance.
Who should you care about?
Kevin de Bruyne is a key for Belgium’s chances at the World Cup, with his laser-like passes, free kicks and wonder goals. In no particular order either.
We also hope, given his stellar form in the Premier League, that Leandro Trossard gets a good crack in the Belgian side.
Canada aren’t shy on stars either, and we expect Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David to be on people’s lips by the end of the group stage.
Full 2022 World Cup Squads & Stats
Is there a barely interesting fact?
Canada failed to win or score in their only other World Cup appearance in 1986. All three games were against European nations.
Belgium are unbeaten in their last 12 group stage games at the World Cup W7 D5. Even better, they have won six group stages games in a row across the last two World Cups.
Who will win?
Belgium 3 Canada 1
Full 2022 World Cup Predictions
Group F Belgium v Canada Match Review
Minutes that Mattered
Welcome to the briefest of match summaries, like a minute by minute except one that has only the minutes that matter.
Stay tuned after the match.
Group Group F Belgium v Canada Match Stats
Coming after the match.
