Belgium vs. Japan: 5 key matchups
Belgium and Japan face off in the round of 16 on Monday, July 2. Here’s a look at five key matchups that could decide the World Cup match.
Belgium face Japan in the World Cup round of 16 on Monday in what should be an interesting contrast in styles.
Belgium feature a star-studded lineup and, on paper anyway, one of the best rosters of any nation at this World Cup. But games have to be played and it’s up to these great players to defeat Japan on the field. Any misstep, as the group stage revealed, and favorites such as Belgium could be going home early.
Japan have nothing to lose at this point, in the words of defender Yuto Nagatomo, and will give it their all after outpacing Senegal on a controversial tiebreaker that involved which teams had received fewer red and yellow cards during the group stage.
“We acknowledge what we are capable of now, and we have played tenaciously,” Nagatomo told FIFA.com. “This time, every player has done the basic thing of keeping running until the end of the game. And we have been united as a team. I think that’s the main reason why we’ve gone through this time.”
Here are five key matchups to look forward to.
Eden Hazard vs. Hiroki Sakai
Belgium’s Eden Hazard is a complete player. Those who regularly watch the Premier League know what an asset he is to Chelsea. He brings that same high level for Belgium, where he plays primarily as a wide midfielder.
In many ways, h’is a lot like Lionel Messi. Hazard likes to dribble and finds space for himself and teammates. When he’s on, Hazard is among one of the best players in the world.
Trying to stop him will be Hiroki Sakai. The 27-year-old right-back will tangle with Hazard, or at least attempt to, as part of Japan’s back-four unit. While there has been Premier League interest in him, Sakai needs to play at his best in order to get the audition right and also help his team from conceding too many goals.
Romelu Lukaku vs. Eiji Kawashima
With four goals so far, Romelu Lukaku has shown what we all already know — that he can be an offensive force. Belgium’s lone striker has lots of help, including from Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne. Service isn’t the problem for Lukaku, it’s often his ability to finish scoring chances. He’s had no such trouble at this tournament (converting 80 percent of his chances) and will give the Japanese back line fits for the entire game.
Japanese keeper Eiji Kawashima has experience, having been capped 85 times for his country. That isn’t the problem. The issue is that Lukaku and the Belgian offense are just so good.
Lukaku helped the team breeze through the group stage, and if Japan are to have any chance, Kawashima will have to be at his best.
Dries Mertens vs. Yuto Nagatomo
Perhaps lost among the so many talented Belgian players is Dries Mertens, who guided Napoli to a second-place finish in Serie A this past season. At this World Cup, Mertens has played mostly on the right alongside Hazard. In a way, both men fulfill the playmaker role for the Belgians.
Mertens will likely be marked by defender Yuto Nagatomo, one of Japan’s better players at this tournament. What Nagatomo lacks in tactical awareness, he makes up with speed. Nagatomo, however, is no slouch. He’s a wonderful defender, as his years at Inter Milan proved, and isn’t afraid to venture forward to aid the attack. He’ll have his hands full with Mertens, but this should make for one of the game’s better duals.
Nagatomo’s ability to frustrate a player like Mertens could determine what kind of day Belgium will have Monday.
Axel Witsel vs. Hotaru Yamaguchi
A central midfielder, Axel Witsel is one of many players in recent years who opted to play club soccer in China. A mainstay in the Belgian midfield since 2008, Witsel is an exceptional player.
The 29-year-old can distribute the ball and his accuracy makes him one of the engines that keeps this Red Devils team purring. He is also tall and that height is an asset in the box whenever Belgium have a restart from a dead ball situation.
Stopping a player like Witsel isn’t impossible, but it’s not easy. He’ll come face to face in the midfield with Japan’s captain Hotaru Yamaguchi. While Yamaguchi is a talented player, Witsel should get the better of him when it comes to furnishing passes to his teammates and maintaining possession.
Roberto Martinez vs. Akira Nishino
Despite what may be described as a tough time in the Premier League in recent years, Belgium manager Roberto Martinez has the good fortune of coaching a very talented group. His 3-4-2-1 favors the offense and plays to their skills. He’s done a great job getting out of the way of his players and employing tactics that can bring out the best from this group.
Akira Nishino, on the other hand, only took over this team two months ago, promoted to the job after serving as the Japanese FA’s technical director. He likes to use a traditional 4-4-2 formation that’s often devoid of any ideas.
Nishino came under fire recently after admitting that he told his players not to try and draw the game they were losing against Poland in the final match of the group stage.