Belgium vs. England: When Bronze tastes like gold
The world cup is not a joke. It is not an arena for the unprepared, neither is it an arena for teams just banking on luck. If there is one world cup where book makers where proved wrong from left, right and center, it is Russia 2018.
The permutations were clear from outset, with former winners like Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Spain; Uruguay England and France tipped to make it all the way to the final. But then when the hostilities started and the surprises began to spring up and the predictions began to crash like a pack of cards it became apparent that anything indeed can happen.
France who hosted and won in 1998 have a chance of clinching a second but will they have a jolly ride against an equally determined and hard fighting Croatia? Sunday will tell!
As for the third place, the three Lions have a date today as they attempt to push aside the disappointment of shock defeat by Croatia to have a go at the third place. That Belgium gave a good fight in Russia is to put it mildly, having finished fourth in the 1986 edition in Mexico the Reds will be hoping to move a step forward and should they emerge victorious and clinch the third place it will be a plus.
For the Three Lions winning the third place may not be considered a super achievement in some quarters for a country that has won the title before, but again it remains a major achievement considering that they last won the title 52 years ago.
Put simply the winner of today’s encounter has every cause to celebrate. Missing the opportunity to play in the final could be painful no doubt but finishing third is certainly a good enough consolation.
Coming third in a competition where 28 out of 32 countries are already home is certainly something to write home about. It is at such times that Bronze indeed tastes like gold. In the group stage Belgium ran away with a lone goal win over the three lions. Can they and will they repeat the feat or will they see the other side of the Lions today? Time again will tell.
Possible line-ups
Belgium: Thibaut Courtois; Jan Vertonghen, Vincent Kompany, Toby Alderweireld; Axel Witsel, Kevin De Bruyne, Nacer
Chadli, Thomas Meunier; Marouane Fellaini, Eden Hazard; Romelu Lukaku?