Belgium beats Israel, 3-1, in the UEFA Nations League. A double by De Bruyne propels Belgium to victory
Belgium continued their fine form in the UEFA Nations League, beating Israel 3-1. Complete dominance by the Belgians was the theme of the match, played at home, with Kevin De Bruyne scoring twice, including a penalty. The Israelis fought hard, managing to level things up briefly with an own goal from Timothy Castagne, but eventual quality prevailed.
Early Lead: De Bruyne Breaks the Deadlock
Belgium needed no warming up as Kevin De Bruyne opened the scoring in the 21 minutes of the game. Kevin De Bruyne’s powerful and well-placed shot, after an assist from Jeremy Doku gave Israeli goalkeeper no chance. His goal reflected Belgium’s early pressure with the visitors controlling the ball and creating dangerous opportunities throughout the first half.
De Bruyne’s movement and ability to find space were causing problems for Israel’s back four for the bigger part of the game. Having the possession for 64%, Belgium easily got on with the rhythm and kept the Israeli players behind.
Belgium Backlash: Castagne’s Own Goal
At minute 36, Israel drew level with Belgium via an own goal from Timothy Castagne. Castagne tried to prevent a dangerous ball from getting through, but he turned it into his net and made the score 1-1. Pretty lucky for Israel, since they had barely had any chances before the own goal.
That goal slightly changed the momentum and lifted Israel’s confidence high up in the field. But this joy for Israel was short-lived as Belgium regained the match.
Second-Half Surge: Tielemans and De Bruyne Extend the Lead
Belgium came out with a vengeance after the break and re-took the lead just three minutes into the second half. Youri Tielemans made it 2-1 in the 48th minute thanks to the setup by Loïs Openda. The first goal for Tielemans was all about good coordination amongst his teammates, passing accurately while moving effectively to tear apart Israel’s defenses.
The attacking menace of Belgium began to grow as they later won a penalty in the next four minutes after Openda was fouled inside the box. Just moments later, Openda missed a penalty in the 56th minute, but De Bruyne never missed his chance in the 52nd minute from the spot to put Belgium really on the front foot at 3-1. His cool, composed finish secured his second goal of the night and put the game beyond Israel’s reach.
Missed Opportunities: Moments When Belgium Were Wasteful
Though dominant and full of chances, there were also those moments when Belgium were guilty of missing some glaring opportunities. Loïs Openda, in spite of providing an assist for one of the goals, missed a penalty in the 56th minute that could have stretched Belgium’s advantage further.
In all, there were 26 shots at goal, with 9 of those on target for Belgium. The Israeli defense was overwhelmed at times, yet they still managed to block 4 shots and frustrated the Belgian attack on several occasions.
Israel’s Fightback: Attempts at Counterattacks
Though Israel had only 36% of the ball, moments of promise did exist for the Israelis. The strategy taken up by the team was to soak up the pressure to be able to counterattack Belgium. The number of counterattacks taken up by Israel in this match was 2; the total shots taken by the team were 9, out of which 2 were on target.
A bright spot in Israel’s game was Manor Solomon, who combined with Oscar Gloukh and Dor Peretz to attempt to light the fuse a number of times on several attacking plays. Belgium’s backline marshaled by Zeno Debast and Maxim De Cuyper was solid, while Belgian goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt made 2 crucial saves that prevented Israel from drawing themselves back into the game.
Substitutions: Belgium Strengthens Their Hold
Meanwhile, both teams made multiple substitutions to bring fresh legs into the game and, therefore, change the dynamics of the match. For Belgium, boss Domenico Tedesco introduced Johan Bakayoko and Arthur Engels to replace Dodi Lukebakio and Youri Tielemans as he sought to strengthen both midfield and attack in the 73rd minute. Jeremy Duranville was also brought on for Jeremy Doku as pace and energy were injected into the Belgium forward line.
Israel, on the other hand, brought in Dor David in place of Raz Revivo and Dan Biton for the hunt. In the second half, though, Israel were second best with regards to retaining possession and creating gilt-edged chances. It only reflected on how thin and nascent Israel are when superior quality, abetted by tactical acumen, won the day for Belgium.
Defensive Steel: Belgium in Command at the Back
That meant Belgium’s defense was solid throughout the match, except for Castagne’s own goal. Zeno Debast was impressive as he made a number of crucial clearances and tackles in the match. The Belgian backline managed to block 7 shots of Israel, which meant the visitors were never on a serious comeback trail.
On the other hand, Israel’s defense couldn’t handle the fluidity of Belgium’s attacking play. Belgium had 9 shots on target; Israeli goalkeeper Ofir Marciano was kept busy as he had to make 6 saves to prevent the scoreline from getting worse.
Statistical Overview: Dominance of Belgium
Match statistics told a different story in almost all the aspects, as it was pointed at Belgium’s dominance. Belgium completed 602 passes compared to Israel’s 348, dangerous attacks were 89 for Belgium and 21 for Israel. The Belgians had even earned 7 corners to Israel’s 1.
This can, however, be a talking point for Belgium in terms of profligacy in front of goal, considering they had 10 shots off target, which insinuates they could have been more clinical in front of goal. Israel managed a total of just 9 shots and never really made consistent pressure against the Belgian defense.
Conclusion: Belgium’s Class Proves Too Much for Israel
Belgium’s 3-1 win over Israel was comprehensive, with Kevin De Bruyne right in the middle of their dominance. His two goals, in company with Youri Tielemans’, made sure Belgium stayed at the top of their UEFA Nations League group.
While Israel had their moments of promise, notably some of the counterattacks and Timothy Castagne’s own goal giving them hope, they were simply outclassed by a superior Belgian side that saw more possession, more shots, and a well-structured defense-evidence as to why they remain one of Europe’s elite football teams.
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