International Friendly

Belgium vs Croatia, 2021 International Friendly

· International Friendly
Belgium
  • 38': Romelu Lukaku
FT
1 - 0
Croatia

    Romelu Lukaku fires Belgium to pre-Euro win over Croatia

    Belgium's Romelu Lukaku underlined his status as one of the world's top strikers with his 60th international goal to secure a 1-0 win over Croatia.

    Match Timeline

    • 0': Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
    • 0': First Half begins.
    • 2': Corner, Croatia. Conceded by Jason Denayer.
    • 7': Offside, Croatia. Domagoj Vida tries a through ball, but Ante Rebic is caught offside.
    • 7': Foul by Ante Rebic (Croatia).
    • 7': Nacer Chadli (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
    • 9': Foul by Sime Vrsaljko (Croatia).
    • 9': Yannick Carrasco (Belgium) wins a free kick on the left wing.
    • 11': Attempt missed. Nacer Chadli (Belgium) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right.
    • 13': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Ante Rebic.
    • 14': Dominik Livakovic (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
    • 14': Foul by Romelu Lukaku (Belgium).
    • 19': Attempt blocked. Yannick Carrasco (Belgium) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Toby Alderweireld.
    • 19': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Duje Caleta-Car.
    • 20': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Borna Barisic.
    • 20': Attempt blocked. Ante Rebic (Croatia) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Luka Modric.
    • 20': Corner, Croatia. Conceded by Jan Vertonghen.
    • 21': Foul by Ivan Perisic (Croatia).
    • 21': Youri Tielemans (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
    • 23': Dries Mertens (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
    • 23': Foul by Mateo Kovacic (Croatia).
    • 25': Foul by Sime Vrsaljko (Croatia).
    • 25': Jan Vertonghen (Belgium) wins a free kick on the left wing.
    • 28': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Domagoj Vida.
    • 29': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Marcelo Brozovic.
    • 29': Ante Rebic (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
    • 29': Foul by Jan Vertonghen (Belgium).
    • 31': Romelu Lukaku (Belgium) hits the left post with a left footed shot from outside the box. Assisted by Toby Alderweireld.
    • 31': Yannick Carrasco (Belgium) hits the bar with a header from the centre of the box.
    • 31': Attempt blocked. Ivan Perisic (Croatia) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ante Rebic.
    • 33': Attempt saved. Romelu Lukaku (Belgium) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jan Vertonghen.
    • 33': Foul by Marcelo Brozovic (Croatia).
    • 33': Romelu Lukaku (Belgium) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
    • 34': Attempt blocked. Dries Mertens (Belgium) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
    • 34': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Bruno Petkovic.
    • 35': Attempt blocked. Toby Alderweireld (Belgium) header from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Yannick Carrasco with a cross.
    • 36': Attempt saved. Yannick Carrasco (Belgium) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Romelu Lukaku.
    • 37': Offside, Croatia. Ante Rebic tries a through ball, but Sime Vrsaljko is caught offside.
    • 38': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Ivan Perisic.
    • 38': Attempt blocked. Youri Tielemans (Belgium) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
    • 38': Goal! Belgium 1, Croatia 0. Romelu Lukaku (Belgium) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal following a corner.
    • 39': Foul by Yannick Carrasco (Belgium).
    • 39': Luka Modric (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
    • 42': Offside, Croatia. Bruno Petkovic tries a through ball, but Ivan Perisic is caught offside.
    • 42': Foul by Mateo Kovacic (Croatia).
    • 42': Romelu Lukaku (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
    • 45'+1': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Marcelo Brozovic.
    • 45'+1': First Half ends, Belgium 1, Croatia 0.
    • 45': Second Half begins Belgium 1, Croatia 0.
    • 45': Substitution, Belgium. Thomas Vermaelen replaces Jan Vertonghen.
    • 45': Substitution, Croatia. Josko Gvardiol replaces Borna Barisic.
    • 48': Attempt saved. Bruno Petkovic (Croatia) left footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Sime Vrsaljko with a cross.
    • 51': Attempt saved. Bruno Petkovic (Croatia) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
    • 52': Attempt missed. Yannick Carrasco (Belgium) left footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Timothy Castagne with a cross.
    • 55': Foul by Sime Vrsaljko (Croatia).
    • 55': Yannick Carrasco (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
    • 56': Corner, Croatia. Conceded by Jason Denayer.
    • 57': Foul by Domagoj Vida (Croatia).
    • 57': Youri Tielemans (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
    • 58': Attempt blocked. Romelu Lukaku (Belgium) header from very close range is blocked. Assisted by Nacer Chadli with a cross.
    • 58': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Josko Gvardiol.
    • 59': Attempt blocked. Toby Alderweireld (Belgium) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Nacer Chadli.
    • 61': Substitution, Croatia. Mario Pasalic replaces Luka Modric.
    • 61': Substitution, Croatia. Andrej Kramaric replaces Ante Rebic.
    • 61': Substitution, Croatia. Nikola Vlasic replaces Mateo Kovacic.
    • 63': Offside, Croatia. Sime Vrsaljko tries a through ball, but Andrej Kramaric is caught offside.
    • 66': Corner, Croatia. Conceded by Timothy Castagne.
    • 68': Substitution, Belgium. Hans Vanaken replaces Dries Mertens.
    • 69': Corner, Croatia. Conceded by Toby Alderweireld.
    • 70': Substitution, Croatia. Josip Brekalo replaces Bruno Petkovic.
    • 71': Substitution, Belgium. Thorgan Hazard replaces Nacer Chadli.
    • 73': Foul by Youri Tielemans (Belgium).
    • 73': Marcelo Brozovic (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
    • 75': Foul by Sime Vrsaljko (Croatia).
    • 75': Thorgan Hazard (Belgium) wins a free kick on the left wing.
    • 75': Offside, Croatia. Marcelo Brozovic tries a through ball, but Ivan Perisic is caught offside.
    • 78': Attempt saved. Nikola Vlasic (Croatia) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Marcelo Brozovic.
    • 79': Foul by Josko Gvardiol (Croatia).
    • 79': Leander Dendoncker (Belgium) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
    • 80': Substitution, Croatia. Mislav Orsic replaces Ivan Perisic.
    • 81': Substitution, Belgium. Jéremy Doku replaces Yannick Carrasco.
    • 82': Substitution, Belgium. Eden Hazard replaces Leander Dendoncker.
    • 83': Attempt missed. Mislav Orsic (Croatia) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Nikola Vlasic.
    • 85': Attempt missed. Marcelo Brozovic (Croatia) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Nikola Vlasic.
    • 86': Foul by Mario Pasalic (Croatia).
    • 86': Jéremy Doku (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
    • 87': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Domagoj Vida.
    • 88': Attempt saved. Romelu Lukaku (Belgium) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Hans Vanaken with a cross.
    • 88': Attempt saved. Romelu Lukaku (Belgium) right footed shot from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal.
    • 90': Foul by Youri Tielemans (Belgium).
    • 90': Mario Pasalic (Croatia) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
    • 90'+2': Attempt saved. Josip Brekalo (Croatia) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Nikola Vlasic.
    • 90'+2': Eden Hazard (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
    • 90'+2': Foul by Nikola Vlasic (Croatia).
    • 90'+3': Second Half ends, Belgium 1, Croatia 0.
    • 0': Match ends, Belgium 1, Croatia 0.

    Statistics

    https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/countries/500/cro.png&h=25&scale=crop&w=25&location=originCRO BELhttps://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/countries/500/bel.png&h=25&scale=crop&w=25&location=origin
    13 Fouls 5
    0 Yellow Cards 0
    0 Red Cards 0
    5 Offsides 0
    5 Corner Kicks 10
    4 Saves 4
    50.3 Possession 49.7
    8 SHOTS 15
    4 ON GOAL 5
    0.5 On Target % 0.3
    0 Penalty Goals 0
    0 Penalty Kicks Taken 0
    523 Accurate Passes 507
    580 Passes 572
    0.9 Pass Completion % 0.9
    4 Accurate Crosses 5
    21 Crosses 19
    0.2 Cross % 0.3
    58 Long Balls 36
    48 Accurate Long Balls 19
    0.8 Long Balls % 0.5
    2 Blocked Shots 6
    6 Effective Tackles 6
    9 Tackles 14
    0.7 Tackle % 0.4
    7 Interceptions 5
    17 Effective Clearances 13
    17 Clearances 13

    Game Information

    Competition: International Friendly

    Venue: King Baudouin Stadium
    Location: Brussels, Belgium

    Line-Ups

    BEL Belgium (3-4-2-1)

    No. Name
    1 Thibaut Courtois (GK)
    18 Jason Denayer
    5 Jan Vertonghen
    2 Toby Alderweireld
    8 Youri Tielemans
    19 Leander Dendoncker
    22 Nacer Chadli
    21 Timothy Castagne
    9 Romelu Lukaku
    11 Yannick Carrasco
    14 Dries Mertens
    Belgium Substitutes:
    Thorgan Hazard, Matz Sels, Hans Vanaken, Thomas Meunier, Simon Mignolet, Eden Hazard, Brandon Mechele, Thomas Vermaelen, Jérémy Doku, Christian Benteke, Michy Batshuayi.

    CRO Croatia (4-3-3)

    No. Name
    1 Dominik Livakovic (GK)
    5 Duje Caleta-Car
    21 Domagoj Vida
    3 Borna Barisic
    2 Sime Vrsaljko
    11 Marcelo Brozovic
    8 Mateo Kovacic
    10 Luka Modric
    20 Bruno Petkovic
    4 Ivan Perisic
    17 Ante Rebic
    Croatia Substitutes:
    Josip Juranovic, Ante Budimir, Josip Brekalo, Lovre Kalinic, Milan Badelj, Josko Gvardiol, Simon Sluga, Mile Skoric, Mario Pasalic, Nikola Vlasic, Mislav Orsic, Andrej Kramaric.

    Men's International Friendly News

    Matildas 'winning ugly' at Women's Asian Cup
    Matildas 'winning ugly' at Women's Asian Cup

    ESPN's The Far Post discuss the Matildas' 2-1 win and how the win wasn't pretty but sometimes that's how you have to get results in tournament football.

    Alanna Kennedy thriving in midfield role for Matildas
    Alanna Kennedy thriving in midfield role for Matildas

    With four goals to her name already, ESPN's The Far Post laud Alanna Kennedy's move into the midfield and how her goalscoring is helping the Matildas.

    'Chronically underrated' Matilda shines in opener
    'Chronically underrated' Matilda shines in opener

    Clare Wheeler was one of the Matildas' standouts against the Philippines with ESPN's The Far Post heaping praise on the versatile midfielder.

    Mary Fowler was back like she never left
    Mary Fowler was back like she never left

    Despite her limited preparation, ESPN The Far Post was impressed by Mary Fowler's cameo in the Matildas' 1-0 win over the Philippines at the Women's Asian Cup.

    Sources: Mexico, Iceland game still on amid cartel violence
    Sources: Mexico, Iceland game still on amid cartel violence

    Mexico plans to proceed with its friendly match scheduled against Iceland on Wednesday at the Corregidora Stadium in Queretaro amid unrest and violence in the country, sources told ESPN.