Rounding off match-day two on Villa Watch is Leander Dendoncker whose Belgium side take on Morocco. Here’s how the 27-year-old got on at the Al Thumama Stadium…
Despite playing well and keeping a clean sheet against Canada earlier this week, Leander Dendoncker was dropped for today’s game. Borussia Dortmund’s Thomas Meunier took his place in the Belgium back three, alongside veterans Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld.
The first half was a tightly contested affair, but one that was slightly edged by Belgium. Opportunities fell to Michy Batshuayi and Kevin De Bruyne, but on the whole neither side offered much going forward and both defences remained strong. The highlight of the half fell in stoppage time when Hakim Ziyech’s free-kick went through a sea of bodies and beat Thibaut Courtois in net. The goal was ruled out for offside however, after Romain SaΓ―ss was deemed to block the ‘keeper’s vision whilst in an illegal position.
Former Southampton winger Sofiane Boufal impressed in the second showing and went closest in the opening exchanges, curling an effort just wide of the mark. The North-African side kept up the pressure and found the game’s opener in the 73rd minute as Abdelhamid Sabiri’s free-kick found it’s way in. Belgium pushed on, introducing the likes of Leandro Trossard and Romelu Lukaku but continued to struggle in the final third. Morocco got a second goal in stoppage time as substitute Zakaria Aboukhlal fired it home from Ziyech’s cut back.
Dendoncker sadly didn’t feature, despite his replacement, Meunier, being withdrawn with ten minutes to go and having a torrid time up against both Boufal and Leicester City’s Timothy Castagne. Attention now turns to the final group game next week where the former Wolves midfielder will hope to be back involved for his nation.
UP NEXT AND PREVIOUS MEETINGS
Up next for Belgium is Croatia in Group F. This important fixture lands on Thursday 1st December and will be played at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium on BBC One – kick off is at 3pm.
These two sides have met eight times in the past and results couldn’t be tighter. Both nations have won three games apiece and the remaining two matches were draws. Recently, the two European sides were drawn together in UEFA Group A of the qualifying stages of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. The fixture in Brussels finished 1-1 and the return game in Zagreb ended 2-1 to Die Roten Teufel (The Red Devils) thanks to a Romelu Lukaku brace.
Who will come out on top this time?
GROUP TABLE
AUTHOR | LIAM DAVIES
Author’s UTV PODCAST archive liamayrtondavies – UTV Podcast | An Aston Villa Blog
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