After an undeserved 1-0 win in the first game against Canada, Belgium take on Morocco in their second game of the World Cup. After witnessing Belgium eke out a 1-0 victory over the tenacious Canucks, Roberto Martinez simply stated: “Canada was better than us.” The Red Devils will take against another well-prepared team eager to pull off an upset in Morocco. After a tense 0-0 draw, Croatia’s coach, Zlatko Dalic, praised the north African team for being “very well prepared and courageous.” Walid Regragui took great pride in the way his team “performed like a European team” and is targeting the top-ranked country on the continent this weekend.
Belgium team news
Romelu Lukaku watched Belgium’s opening game from the stands, but the pain that was clearly visible on his face might have been caused more by what happened on the field than by the muscular ailment that kept him out of the game. According to his management, the Inter attacker has resumed individual training and could be ready for the last group match against Croatia. “If I go by how the player feels, there’s maybe a chance to bring him back for the second match [against Morocco],” Martinez continued. Martinez might not risk the country’s all-time leading scorer before he is totally fit because he has his sights set on a deep run in this competition.
Morocco team news
An hour into Morocco’s scoreless draw with Croatia, Noussair Mazraoui was stretchered off after landing hard on his hip. Initial assessments indicate the damage may not be as bad as first thought, but it’s unlikely he will be fully recovered by Sunday.
Belgium vs Morocco World Cup score prediction
In the World Cup group stage, Belgium has won eight straight games, matching Brazil’s record run. In fact, since losing to Saudi Arabia in 1994, the Red Devils have not lost before the knockout phase. Despite the effort required to win, world number two Martinez was eager to highlight some old-school football advice after the game. “It’s a lot to build on when a team can win a game despite not playing well.”
Prediction: Belgium 2-1 Morocco
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