Football Results

The first round in this group has brought the expected results and accordingly a big favourite of this group, Belgium, defeated Panama without major problems with 3-0, while Tunisia was defeated in their duel with one of the favourites of the group, the team of England, with the proviso that they provided excellent resistance but still lost with 2-1. Tunisia has quite unfortunately remained without a point that would mean a lot in the continuation of the championship, but the goal that they received in the injury time has certainly disrupted them psychologically. The Belgians had minor problems in the first half with Panama, and then they brought everything in their place. In the friendly duel of these teams in 2014, Belgium has celebrated with 1-0, while at the World Cup in 2002 it was 1-1.

Belgium

Belgium has played the first of two duels against slightly easier rivals, at least on paper, routinely and came to the first points. Yet, it was evident in the first half, that the Belgians were also a bit nervous because they were expected to do big things at this World Cup, and it was very disrupting. There were a lot of mistakes and some individual actions that did not bring them much, and side players Meunier and Carrasco were very bad. It helped that they took the lead right at the start of the second half thanks to a goal by Merten and then their striker R.Lukaku finished the job with two more goals.

In their last friendly match with the World Cup, the Belgians played against Costa Rica, and when we look at how the match was developing, their duel with Panama was practically the same, which is not surprising because these rivals play very similar, and the team of Belgium was exactly the same. Again, they did not compete with defenders Kompany and Vermaelen and there is no need to risk with their performance, because defence plays very firmly and well. Now the Belgian team is expecting a more dangerous rival, but the question is whether coach Martinez will change something and if he decides to do so, Carrasco seems to be closest to the reserve bench instead of whom we expect Dembele on the field.

Probable lineups Belgium: Courtois – Alderweireld, Boyata, Vertonghen – Meunier, Witsel, Dembele, de Bruyne – Mertens, E.Hazard – R.Lukaku

Tunisia

Tunisia was defeated in their first duel after a goal in the very finish of the match, and it is interesting that the remaining two teams with the same fate are coming from Africa. The Tunisians played against England and it is clear that they were the outsiders, and their task was further complicated after they had scored in the early stages of the match. However, they waited for their chance and got it after they had won the penalty and equalized, after which they parried the English team very well, especially in the second half.

They managed to neutralize their most dangerous opponents until the first minute of injury time when they, as in the first round, reacted very poorly after a break and received a new goal for defeat. That is nothing new for the Tunisians, as they were solidly parrying the Spaniards in the preparatory period, but they received a goal in the finish and lost. Though he did not play in friendly matches, one of the biggest stars of the Tunisian team, Khazri, was on the field from the first minute, and that was actually a surprise, with Bronn playing on the center-back and Meriah on the right. In addition to the points, in duel of the first round they also lost the first goalkeeper Hassen, who was injured early in the game and now he will not be able to perform, so Ben Mustapha goes among goalposts. There will not probably be any other changes for this match.

Probable lineups Tunisia: Ben Mustapha – Meriah, S. Ben Youssef, Bronn, Maaloul – Skhiri, Badri – Sassi, F.Ben Youssef, Sliti – Khazri

Verdict:

The Belgians have been relieved slightly after a triumph in the first round and we now expect them to be even better, because the pressure is smaller. Tunisia has given its maximum against England and the question is whether they can repeat everything, so we do not give them any chance in this duel.

Pick: Asian Handicap -1.5 Belgium 2.22 - 122/100 @1XBet