Belgium VS Algeria

As one of the tournament’s most exciting teams (and a dark horse for the trophy) gears up to show raised eyebrows their potential, the African side will do their very best to nullify and shock the hosts to give themselves a fighting chance of qualifying for the next round.

Marc Wilmots’ side is brimming with players who have been stars for their national side for a couple of seasons now, whilst Les Fennecs will be looking to take some points off the most skilled side in the group.

BELGIUM

Champions League & Europa League finalists, Europa League, Super Cup, La Liga and Premier League winners.Those are just a handful of the players that bless the Red Devils’ best squad in years. In Hazard, Lukaku and Courtois, they boast Chelsea FC’s best young players. In Kompany, Mirallas, Vertonghen and Januzaj, they boast some of the Premier League’s best players.

Despite a 5-star rout of Luxembourg being written off by a bizarre extra substitution, the Red Devils come to this tournament as one of the small European country’s best teams ever.

PROBABLE STARTING XI

(4-2-3-1)

                  Courtois
      Vermaelen————————-Kompany
Vertonghen—————————————————————Alderweild
    Fellaini———————————Witsel
    De Bruyne
Hazard——————————————————————————Mirallas                              
                    Lukaku

Wilmots has an incredibly venomous attack, and he will do his very best to use this match as an exhibition of his young team’s strength. They have some of the best players in their position at the back – Mr. Vincent Kompany – and their front four will prove to be one of the most fluid, exquisite attacking forces in the World Cup.

With Fellaini on terrible form this season, though, Wilmots will look to ex-Chelsea starlet Kevin De Bruyne to make his due defensive contributions. Jose Mourinho sold him for his lack of it, but he is a terrific young player, and will surely show the Chelsea boss that.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Who else?

The PFA’s Young Player of the Year, Chelsea FC Player of the Year, 17 goals and 14 assists; a true young superstar. Eden Hazard lit up the Premier League with his dazzling displays and nimble feet, proving to be one of the Premier League’s most unstoppable players. Only 2 or 3 markers at a time have managed to stop the young player, and with Mirallas on the other wing, that’s not an option for Algeria.

ALGERIA

In their quest to get out of the World Cup for the first time in 4 World Cup appearances, Algeria will take on the Belgians off fine form, having won 5 out of their previous 6 matches. Having performed rather mediocrely in the last World Cup, they will make amends.

They have failed to score in their last 5 World Cup games, but their defence and midfield will be looking to keep the excited Belgian team quiet.

PROBABLE STARTING XI

(4-2-3-1)
                  M’Bolhi
Belkalem———————————-Bougherra
Mandi———————————————————————————-Ghoulam
Taider—————————————-Yebda
Feghouli——————————-Brahimi————————————Soudani
      Slimani

Brahimi and Feghouli’s taste for drifting in-between midfielders could be quite crucial to their chances of winning this match, as Fellaini’s poor positioning can be exploited and punished.

If Yebda can cut supply to Belgium’s No.10 De Bruyne, then Belgium will not only have been starved in attack but bamboozled in midfield, which will go a long way to shutting down their threat. With Mandi and Ghoulam overlapping, Vertonghen and Alderweild (who’re both not natural full-backs) can be severly stretched.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Sofiane Feghouli

Sofiane Feghouli is Algeria’s brightest player, and he has been for a while now. He will be looking to match the Europeans toe-to-toe for creativity, and will inspire his side to a very spirited battle against the Belgian side.