Belgium showed a fundamental improvement after the clear 1:4 against the Netherlands in the Nations League opener – but only after a setback in the duel with Poland. After that, however, the Red Devils performed some great magic.
In football, things often turn out quite differently than they seem. Belgium’s national team had to experience this at first hand – after the 1:4 against Holland at the start of this new Nations League edition. The Red Devils started really briskly in their encounter with Poland, pressed the visitors deep into the back and did not let up one bit. The best evidence of this storming and pushing phase was Batshuayi’s shot against the post and Eden Hazard’s subsequent miss from the best position (both in the 4th minute).
However, because the goal was not scored precisely enough, the score remained 0:0 – and from the 28th minute onwards it was suddenly 0:1. The departing Bayern star and national team captain Lewandowski stung here and thus shocked Belgium. After being set up by the unchallenged Zielinski and the passer Szymanski, “Lewy” took the ball extremely well with his back to goal from a very difficult position and finished in a flowing movement in front of the powerless Mignolet for his own lead.
Half dozen: Belgium overrun Poland
The conceded goal hurt the FIFA world number two for a long time. It was only towards the end of the first 45 minutes that the hosts shook off this blow in the Brussels stadium – and promptly made it 1-1. Witsel, who is leaving Borussia Dortmund after four years, shot the ball strongly into the top right corner from distance (42nd).
This 1:1 should also be the wake-up call for the Red Devils, who from then on played as if unleashed and who had to make do without Lukaku (Chelsea) this evening. Above all, the omnipresent De Bruyne, together with Carrasco and Eden Hazard, was at times almost unmanageable. The result was a flood of goals conceded by Poland until the end of the game: De Bruyne himself started the 2-1 after a Hazard pass free from Dragowski (59th), before Joker Trossard from Brighton & Hove Albion made it 4-1 with a cheeky hook and low shot (73rd) as well as a fantastic lob into the top right corner of the goal (80th) via a brace.
Defensive defender Dendoncker also fired a long-range shot into the bottom left corner (83rd), before Joker Openda scored the final 6:1 after a Thorgan Hazard assist and thus massively improved Belgium’s Nations League standings. For Poland, led by captain Lewandowski, who was substituted in the second period, this was a severe thrashing in the World Cup year, which was not to be expected.
