Belgium vs Canada
FIFA World Cup
Date: Wednesday, 23 November 2022
Kick-off at 19:00 UK / 20:00 CET
Venue: Ahmad bin Ali Stadium (Al-Rayyan).
The Belgians will look to make their mark in the World Cup when they face Canada on Wednesday at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium.
This match will be a crucial one for Belgium as they will be facing off against Canada, who will be making their World Cup debut after 36 years.
Despite having one of the best teams in the world, Belgium has never been able to successfully carry out its potential on the big stage.
After a successful qualifying campaign, the Belgians were expected to perform well in the upcoming UEFA Nations League. However, they were defeated by France.
They will be looking to draw inspiration from their experience at the previous World Cup, where they lost to France in the semi-final.
Due to the injury to Romelu Lukaku, Belgium’s main player, the team’s preparation has been overshadowed by the uncertainty surrounding his availability for the tournament.
Canada will be making the trip to the World Cup to show their mettle, especially since the tournament will be held in their home country in 2026. The Canadians are aware of the potential of Belgium, and an upset doesn’t seem likely.
Belgium vs Canada Prediction :
Despite facing Denmark and Russia in the group stage, Belgium only allowed one goal in the tournament. Canada, on the other hand, has no experience at this level.
To win the game, we recommend backing Belgium to defeat Canada to nil at 2.37. We also think that Kevin De Bruyne will score anytime for the Red Devils. He is the most in-form player in this team and has been able to produce numerous goals for Manchester City.
Belgium vs Canada Team News :
The fitness of Romelu Lukaku has been a major concern for Belgium. He will not be available for this tournament, which means Michy Batshuayi is expected to start. On the other hand, Lois Openda could be in contention to make her debut.
After starring at Euro 2020, Thorgan Hazard has been struggling with injuries. Timothy Castagne or Yannick Martinez could be in line to replace him at left wing-back.
Although Eden Hazard has not played much for Real Madrid, he is a favourite of Martinez. He is likely to start on the left side of a three-man attack.
Despite being criticized for picking aging players, Martinez is expected to start with a young center-back in Zeno Debast. Both Jason Denayer and Dedryck Boyata were not included in the final 23.
Atiba Hutchinson is expected to win his 99th cap for Canada, which would make him the oldest player in the tournament. He made his debut almost two decades ago.
Alphonso Davies, who is a star for Canada, is expected to be out for the tournament due to a hamstring injury.
This is a huge loss for Canada, as Davies is their main man and is versatile enough to play various positions. For instance, he can play left wing-back, fullback, and even number 10.
Most of Canada’s starting XI will be based in Europe, which means this match against Belgium will not be a new experience for them.
Belgium possible starting lineup:
Courtois; Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Debast; Meunier, Tielemans, Witsel, Castagne; De Bruyne, Batshuayi, E Hazard
Canada possible starting lineup:
Borjan; Laryea, Johnston, Steven Vitoria, K Miller, Adekugbe; Buchanan, Hutchinson, Eustaquio; David, Larin
