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Belgium’s World Cup marketing campaign is over after failing to beat Croatia of their closing fixture in Group F.
A 0-0 draw was sufficient to see Croatia end in second place with Morocco topping the group after beating bottom-placed Canada 2-1.
Belgium did not impress in any of their video games in Qatar, an underwhelming marketing campaign that certainly alerts the top of their ‘golden era’.
Croatia thought they’d the prospect to open the scoring quarter-hour into the sport however noticed a penalty chalked off by VAR for an extremely tight offside name within the lead as much as Yannick Carrasco’s clumsy sort out on Andrej Kramaric.
The overturned penalty proved to be the one second of word in a cagey first-half.
The second-half continued in the identical vein with Croatia completely satisfied to play for the draw. Belgium huffed and puffed however didn’t do sufficient to pressure a winner that will have seen them leapfrog their opponents and safe qualification.
United goal Thomas Meunier regarded strong but uninspiring on what was his 62nd cap for the nationwide aspect.
Meunier supplied first rate width on the best aspect for Belgium, with out mustering something near being decisive along with his closing ball.
The Borussia Dortmund man virtually pressured a winner within the closing moments along with his cross-cum-shot deflecting off Romelu Lukaku to go agonisingly huge of the Croatian aim.
Defensively, Meunier struggled considerably, working in a again 4 somewhat than Roberto Martinez conventional again 5, permitting crosses into the Belgium field far too simply.
United are in search of a substitute for Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who is predicted to depart the membership in the summertime, if not in January and Meunier’s identify is persistently linked with the put up.
United midfield goal Youri Tielemans got here on with twenty minutes to play however did not make an affect, reflective of his match as a complete.
Former Purple Lukaku was introduced on at half-time to supply a focus in assault and provides the Croatian defenders one thing to consider, after their all too straightforward journey within the first half.
Lukaku had an exquisite likelihood to open the scoring seconds earlier than the hour mark however crashed his shot in opposition to the put up when it regarded simpler to attain.
Lukaku then missed a pair extra half possibilities earlier than one of the best likelihood of the sport fell to him within the final minute of regular time.
The Inter man did not make any significant contact when three yards out from a Thorgan Hazard cross, chesting the ball again into the Croatian keeper’s grateful grasp.
The shock exit will go away Roberto Martinez with a lot to ponder because the second greatest staff on the earth did not make any affect within the match.
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