Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Not the caring, concerned kind, but the crunched-under-tackles variety. In the 35th minute, he gets up from one, limps around a bit then takes off again without a worry. In the 37th minute he’s hacked down again under a challenge from Taremi. And once more in the 38th minute, at which point the referee delivers a warning and awards Belgium a free kick.
De Bruyne is looking central to Belgium’s approach to this game, as they utilise the pitch’s width and then send the ball in for him or Tielemans. That, or cross it to Lukaku.
De Bruyne might need a zimmer frame by the end of this, though. He’s commented before on his national team’s ageing squad, and they are another week older than they were last week when they drew with Egypt.
There will be eight added minutes to this first half.
Belgium 0-0 Iran, 44 minutes
They’ve had all the ball – 75 per cent of it – and already made eight shots which is a bit wild. Only two on target, though. Iran have enjoyed some nice forays, too, but it felt like they were slightly on the back foot before that free kick. Belgium continue as they were, with another attack and Meunier making a cross in from the right that Beiranvand takes just before the first hydration break.
Belgium 0-0 Iran, 31 minutes
It’s from a free kick, awarded after a handball. Hajsafi stands over the dead ball and then lofts his delivery with just enough on it to round Belgium’s wall to Taremi. He takes a touch, makes a turn, and dispatches his finish.
That is a very nice goal. Except that it might not be a goal because the VAR is checking for offside. The graphic thingo shows Taremi was indeed a smidge offside, which is a real shame given the aesthetically pleasing nature of the would-be goal.
Belgium 0-0 Iran, 27 minutes
Within three minutes. For a sliding studs-up tackle on a diving Beiranvand. It didn’t look intentional – Lukaku was clearly going for the ball – but the keeper is down and referee Dario Herrera brings out the first yellow card of the match.
Belgium 0-0 Iran, 3 minutes
Let’s get this out there first because the game is getting started.
Belgium manager Rudi Garcia has made a quartet of changes to the XI that drew 1-1 with Egypt, with De Cuyper, Raskin, Saelemaekers and Lukaku in for Castagne, Onana, Doku and De Ketelaere.
Belgium: Courtois; Meunier, Ngoy, Mechele, De Cuyper; Raskin, Tielemans; Saelemaekers, De Bruyne, Trossard; Lukaku. Subs: Castagne, De Ketelaere, De Winter, Fernandez-Pardo, Witsel, Lammens, Lukebakio, Onana, Penders, Seys, Theate, Vanaken, Moreira
For Iran, Amir Ghalenoei has made three changes, bringing in Hardani, Kanani and Hajisafi.
Iran: Beiranvand; Hardani, Kanani, Khalilzadeh, Nemati, Hajisafi; Rezaeian, Ghoddos, Ezatolahi, Mohebbi; Taremi. Subs: Alipour, Cheshmi, Dargahi, Eiri, Ghayedi, Ghorbani, Hosseini, Hosseinzadeh, Jahanbakhsh, Moghanloo, Mohammadi, Niazmand, Razzaghinia, Torabi, Yousefi
If you are in Australia it is the morning. If you do the early work shift caper, you are up and consuming your coffee. If you are up especially to watch the football, you may already be on to your second coffee, because a match has already been run and won.
Spain, the global powerhouse ranked No.3 by FIFA who were last week HELD TO A DRAW by Cape Verde, have well and truly bounced back with a 4-0 walk in the park against Saudi Arabia. More on that in a bit, but let’s first just look at what else is in store on this lovely Monday.
Belgium and Iran are right now kicking off in Los Angeles (more on that in a bit too). Then we have:
Uruguay v Cape Verde (8am AEST)
New Zealand v Egypt (11am AEST)
It’s an early start and an early finish today, but no less enthralling based on the fixtures.
