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RIO DE JANEIRO. — Belgium silenced their critics and put behind them a slow start to the World Cup, with coach Marc Wilmots happy with the number of chances created by his team in a 2-1 win against the United States on Tuesday.
“We had something like 27 chances in the game and we deserved our win. We created a chance after just two minutes and it was fantastic goalkeeping from Tim Howard that kept us out,” Wilmots told the post match press conference.
“We saw a lot of football from Belgium tonight. I’d say we played a good game, we were brave and we are into the quarterfinals.”
Belgium had been taken to task for failing to live up to expectations at the tournament in Brazil even though they won all of their opening round matches.
One of those heavily criticised was striker Romelu Lukaku, dropped for the last-16 match against the Americans at the Fonte Nova arena in Salvador, but whose entry at the start of extra time finally turned the tide Belgium’s way.
“It was right to criticise him but I told him that the knockout phase would belong to him, he would have his day,” Wilmots said.
But the heroics of Howard and the plucky fight of the Americans meant the contest was not settled until after two hours of furious football.
The Belgium coach said he suffered near heart failure as his side failed to take any of numerous chances in the 90 minutes, then scoring twice to seemingly settle the game before allowing the Americans back into the contest in a edge-of-the-seat finish.
“Usually at this level of football when you miss that many chances you don’t advance, even if you play fantastically. But we were able to show mental strength and a physical level to see us through,” he said.
“I can believe it was a brilliant game for the spectators to watch but it was no good for my heart. I said to the players after, ‘don’t do that to me again’.”
Belgium will face Argentina on Saturday in Brasilia in the quarter-finals of the tournament.
Meanwhile, United States goalkeeper Howard said Everton team-mate Lukaku proved decisive as the Americans’ fairytale World Cup run came to an end against Belgium in the last 16 on Tuesday.
Lukaku, on loan at Goodison Park last season from Chelsea, scored one goal and set up another as Belgium sealed a 2-1 win after a thrilling extra-time battle with the United States.
“They brought big Rom on and he was a handful, he ran at us, scored a goal, created chances for other guys,” said Howard. “Big Rom changed the game.”
Howard had kept the Americans in the contest throughout the first 90 minutes, pulling of a series of superb saves to prevent Belgium from converting their dominance into a comfortable victory.
And even after going 2-0 down in extra-time, the USA pulled a goal back through teenager Julian Green to set up a nervy finale which saw Clint Dempsey almost grab what would have been a sensational equaliser from a clever free-kick routine.
“It’s heartbreaking, I don’t think we could have given any more,” said Howard.
“We left it all out there. We got beaten by a really good team. They took their chances well. It’s heartache, it hurts.”
Asked about his goalkeeping heroics, Howard replied: “That’s my job, that’s what I’m signed up to do. It’s part of it in these big games.”
He acknowledged that United States had struggled to keep Belgium at bay for so long.
“The levy’s going to break at some point if you continue like that,” he said. “But hats off to Belgium. They were fantastic.” — AFP.
Online Reporter