Belgium team
It was a picture of devastation at the end: Neymar on his haunches and Fernandinho flat on his back, staring into the black night sky after their nation’s third quarter-final loss in four World Cups.
Belgium, a nation of 11 million people, have developed the technical and tactical capacity to beat Brazil, a nation of 207 million. They out-thought and out-played them for 75 minutes of quite stunning counter-attacking football from which Brazil could not find a way back, despite two gilt-edged chances of their own.
As the Belgians tired in the last 15 minutes, Brazil seemed justified in their demands for a penalty after Gabriel Jesus nutmegged Jan Vertonghen and seemed to be clattered by Vincent Kompany. VAR ruled that the ball had already run out of play, though it was in play at the moment of Kompany’s initial contact.
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