Belgium end Nations League campaign with disappointing defeat to Israel
Belgium ended the group stage of the Nations League with defeat to Israel on Sunday evening. The match, played in thick fog on neutral ground in Budapest, finished 1-0, leaving the Red Devils in third place and facing a relegation play-off.
Both teams finish the league on four points, with Belgium taking third spot thanks to their 3-1 win when the sides played each other in September. Israel are relegated to the B League, while Belgium must compete against a group winner from the B League to avoid the same fate.
The Belgian line-up on Sunday was an unfamiliar one with several key players missing, including Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Jérémy Doku, Youri Tielemans, Charles De Ketelaere and Thomas Meunier
“It was difficult for many reasons, and I don’t think it was a good match,” coach Domenico Tedesco told RTL TVI. “The team we fielded had never played together, never trained together. But how is it possible to train together when you have so many injuries? Today we had Leandro Trossard injured in the first half and Zeno Debast at half-time.
“It's difficult for me to tell a young team to do more and more and more. Several players had already played 90 minutes two or three days ago, and they had to play 90 minutes today too.”
Under Tedesco, Belgium have won just two of their last 10 games, losing six of them. Asked about his future with the national team, however, he said he intended to still be the manager for the play-offs in March. Belgium will find out their opponents when the draw is made on Friday.
In the group’s other match, France beat Italy 3-1. Both teams progress to the quarter-finals of the competition after finishing the group stage on 13 points each.
Johan Bakayoko during the match between Israel and Belgium at Bozsnik Arena in Budapest, Hungary, 17 November 2024 © PHOTO MATIJA HABLJAK/PIXSELL
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