Thorgan Hazard sends champions Portugal packing to keep Belgium's dreams alive
Portugal's Joao Cancelo, left, competes for the ball with Belgium's Eden Hazard at La Cartuja stadium in Seville. (Jose Manuel Vidal/Pool via AP)
THE “other” Hazard made the difference in a last-16 tie in Seville that only lived up to expectation in the closing stages but which eventually saw defending champions Portugal dethroned.
Belgium’s Thorgan Hazard stole the thunder of brother Eden, Cristiano Ronaldo, and everyone else in two star-studded casts with the goal that carried Belgium through to a quarter-final against Italy in Munich on Friday.
Hazard lifted what had been a lacklustre game three minutes before the interval with a finish that Portuguese keeper Rui Patricio will not remember particularly fondly.
For once, the midfielder was found in space, by Borussia Dortmund team-mate Thomas Meunier’s short pass across the face of the penalty area, and bent a 20-yard shot past Patricio whose footwork looked extremely suspect.
Two of the big heavyweights in a side of the draw that is looking increasingly lopsided with every passing day came to Seville under some degree of pressure.
For Portugal, winners of just one of their group games, there was the pressure of defending their European crown, but for Roberto Martinez’s Belgium, this tournament represents a defining moment.
This golden generation of stars - currently ranked number one in the world by FIFA - is ageing rapidly, with only one of their starting XI on Sunday night under the age of 28 and three defenders with a combined age of 101.
Presumably, not all of Martinez’s line-up will still be available in next year’s World Cup, let alone the next Euros, which rendered this an epoch-defining tournament and a last 16 tie against a talented - if flawed - Portugal side far from ideal.
The Portuguese showed their threat after just five minutes when Renato Sanches played Diogo Jota clear on the counter-attack and the Liverpool man lashed a disappointing effort low and wide.
It was a warning that possibly forced Belgium into a cautious, probing start to the game with their only meaningful effort a one-two between Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku which ended with the former unleashing a wayward shot high and wide.
For all their limitations - which saw them concede six times in their three group games - Portugal still had Ronaldo to rely upon, which made Thomas Vermaelen’s clumsy handball 25 yards from goal all the more dangerous after 24 minutes.
It presented the Portuguese icon with his first sight of goal, and one he nearly accepted as his expertly-delivered free-kick forced Thibaut Courtois into the first save of the tie with the rebound looping agonisingly over Joao Palhinha.
Perhaps his presence also explained why Belgium were performing so conservatively, the spark and front-foot football that had carried them to a perfect record in group play not apparent.
The opening goal before the break came as a relief, therefore, for Belgium although Martinez had a problem to contend with early after the restart.
Kevin De Bruyne, fouled just before the interval by Palhinha who was booked for the incident, limped off in the 48th minute to be replaced by yet another veteran in Dries Mertens.
Portugal’s response was the introduction of Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes along with young prodigy Joao Felix and the defending champions were almost level immediately from a superb through ball from Ronaldo which found Jota in a sliver of space only for his team-mate to hurry his effort over.
Chances finally materialised - Felix planting an easy header for Courtois to save; Lukaku’s first sight of goal ending with a curling shot wide from the edge of the box.
Tension materialised with it - Pepe and Lukaku spoken to for an altercation and the Portuguese defender fortunate to escape with only a yellow after a late hack at Thorgan Hazard.
There were also a couple of glimmers of hope for Portugal, via Ronaldo of course, with the forward first blasting a free-kick straight into the Belgian wall and then chipping a disappointing shot at Courtois.
In a late, nervy finale to the game, Bruno’s corner found Ruben Dias whose powerful header was punched off his line by Courtois, Raphael Guerreiro struck the foot of the post from 18 yards, and the keeper saved well at the feet of substitute Andre Silva.
Courtois 7; Alderweireld 7, Vermaelen 5, Vertonghen 7; Meunier 7, Tielemans 6, Witsel 7, T Hazard 8 (Dendoncker 90); De Bruyne 6 (Mertens 47, 6), E Hazard 7 (Carrasco 87); Lukaku 7. Boyata, Mignolet, Sels, Denayer, Benteke, Batshuayi, Trossard, Doku, Praet.
Patricio 5; Dalot 6, Pepe 6, Dias 6, Guerreiro 5; Sanches 8 (Oliveira 78, 6), Palhinha 7 (Danilo 78, 6), Moutinho 6 (Felix 55, 7); B Silva 6 (Fernandes 55, 7), Ronaldo 7, Jota 5 (A Silva 70, 6). Semedo, Fonte, Lopes, Neves, Goncalves, R Silva, Mendes.
Dr F Brych (Germany) 5
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
