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| March 8th 2005 |
Montevideo, Estadio Centenario
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| BELGIUM - CHILE |
3-1 (1-1)
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GOALS 20' 0-1 Marcelo Salas
25' 1-1 Jef Mermans
71' 2-1 Jef Mermans
75' 3-1 Rik Coppens
REFEREE William Ling (England)
ATTENDANCE 61,000
YELLOW CARDS Vandereycken, Verbiest, Van Moer (BEL)
Zamorano, Margas (CHI)
BELGIUM (Coach: Guy Thijs, system 4-3-3)
1 Christian Piot
2 Eric Gerets
3 Armand Swartenbroeks (captain)
4 Laurent Verbiest
19 Jean Thissen
8 Wilfried Van Moer (-88)
11 Jan Ceulemans
7 René Vandereycken
14 Raymond Braine (-69)
9 Jef Mermans
10 Rik Coppens (-89)
Substitutes:
15 Viktor Lemberechts (+69)
17 Vincenzo Scifo (+88)
13 Paul Van Himst (+89)
CHILE (Coach: Fernando Riera, system 4-3-3)
1 Roberto Rojas
2 Luis Eyzaguirre (-75)
3 Lizardo Garrido
5 Elias Figueroa
4 Javier Margas
7 Alberto Fouilloux
14 Nelson Parraguez (-82)
10 Jorge Aravena
8 Marcelo Salas
9 Ivan Zamorano (-82)
11 Leonel Sanchez (captain)
Substitutes:
13 Guillermo Subiabre (+75)
12 Francisco Valdes (+82)
19 Carlos Caszely (+82)
MATCHREPORT
Remarkably strong against France, Belgium continued their good form against
Chile in this important match in Montevideo. They were under heavy pressure,
knowing they had to beat the South Americans. Chile, having taken a point
from Ireland, also knew they had to book a result before their last match
against "Les Bleus". This produced another fine match in the All Time World
Cup. The games got better and better now the decisions got nearer. Belgium
the winner this time, a strong winner.
Thijs had decided to keep star Paul Van Himst, who had been a total fall-out
against France, out of his team. In his place agile Rik Coppens, stubborn
and brilliant at the same time, came into the team. Chile's coach Riera had
made no changes, satisfied as he was with the performance of the team
against Ireland. Both teams started the match in a careful way, which was
their second nature. There was a strong balance between both midfields, where
Van Moer stood out and made it a magnificent match-up with Jorge Aravena.
But it appeared to be impossible to support the strikers well enough to
create danger. It became a real match after 20 minutes, when all of a sudden
Chile took the lead. After Gerets had fouled Sanchez, Aravena took the free
kick quickly. Everyone missed it, except Marcelo Salas at the far post. His
header made it 0-1. Belgium had to roll back their sleeves, and they did.
With Gerets, Van Moer and Vandereycken as men at the wheel, Chile were
pushed back in defence. It made Riera's men sigh. This was when Raymond
Braine, the quick dribbler, came into action and it livened the Belgian
play. Margas, his opponent, had been a success at World Cup 1998 but in that
event he had met no player from the stature of Braine. Ceulemans now got
the better of little Parraguez and Gerets forced Sanchez into unfamiliar
ground. The outside left had to defend this time against the impressive
back.
The equalizer came quickly. Only 5 minutes after Salas' opener a high cross
from Vandereycken, the ball stuck between Garrido and Coppens but giant
Mermans, the centre forward, was there to do what he was supposed to do in
the circumstances. He hesitated no second and fired it past Rojas. It was
Mermans' first goal of the tournament. Belgium had lift off. One attack
after the other overwhelmed the Chilean team and Roberto Rojas had a lot of
work to do. The goalkeeper had left the World Cup qualifiers prior to the
1990 tournament under a cloud after making as if he had been injured against
Brazil, trying to have the Brazilians disqualified. But he made amends this
time with a great display. Coppens, certainly an improvement compared to the
somewhat weak Van Himst, tried a nasty shot for Rojas, but the goalie held
on. Moments later he saved a header from Ceulemans magnificently. He kept
his team in the race. Chile themselves could only threaten from time to time
through Marcelo Salas, a plague for Jean Thissen. The leftback tried to
contribute in attack, but was left in trouble in defence. Salas outplayed
him a couple of times, but Piot could save from Zamorano and Sanchez had his
effort blocked by captain Swartenbroeks. Apart from that, Zamorano who
worked as a horse was dominated by Swartenbroeks.
In the second half, it stayed like that. Belgium were looking for the win
more and more. Chile were forced to go back and rely on their eminent
goalkeeper. With Belgium out for the second goal, Rojas was a wall difficult
to climb. Chile's best man got a finger to it when Vandereycken released a
bomb from 20 metres out, and he saved as well when Mermans met a cross from
Braine. However, after a new effort of the Belgian centre forward it was
bingo. Viktor Lemberechts, who had replaced slightly injured Braine after 69
minutes, had just walked onto the pitch when he tricked Garrido and served
Mermans. The big man converted easily, marker Eyzaguirre was beaten and so
was Rojas this time. And when Rik Coppens shortly after scored a third goal
for Belgium, the resistance was broken. The "enfant terrible" got the ball
from Van Moer, wizzed his way between Figueroa and Parraguez, put Rojas on
the wrong foot and scored composed. That was it. Belgium three, Chile one,
the difference was clear and it was well deserved. Belgium had played a fine
match again, Chile were stuck into their own half for most of the match and
Christian Piot was left without too much work. The only thing to worry about
were the three yellow cards they sustained. William Ling, who was well up to
the game, booked Vandereycken, Verbiest and Van Moer. Verbiest, who had
already been cautioned against France, would be suspended for the last
match.
With the game advancing Riera tried whatever he could, bringing in three
strikers with Subiabre, Valdes and Caszely but Belgium remained on their
feet without problems. Laurent Verbiest led the defence with authority and
with Gerets and Swartenbroeks they had defenders capable of controlling
strikers of Chile's level. Near the end, Guy Thijs substituted Van Moer and
Coppens, but it was just to win some time and give Van Himst a little
consolation. Belgium won the three points and took their fate in their own
hands. What lasted was a match against Ireland, with everything at stake.
Chile would visit France in Saint Denis in their last match. They hoped they
could benefit from the fact that France had already qualified. But even
against a possible weakened French team, it would be difficult if not
impossible for Chile to grab the result they needed.
Cameroon and Northern Ireland go out next Friday for their last chance to
make an impact in this All Time World Cup. Northern Ireland played a good
match against Portugal but were beaten by a narrow margin. Best showed what
he could do on the very highest level and will try to lead his team to a win
this time. Cameroon must find themselves back after being hammered 6-1 by
Brazil. Valeri Nepomiaschi, their Russian coach, will certainly change a few
things, most of all defensively. The match will be played in the old Stadio
Nazionale in Rome where Maurice Guigue is the referee.
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