Hazard can’t find peace

It is convenient to expect little of Hazard at this point. They know it in Madrid and they are beginning to know it in Belgium. It takes too long to rewind to remember a full version of the Belgian captain. The prospect that he could play an important role in this European Championship dimmed in the face of willing Finland, who spotted the deed of the round of 16 and escaped in the final stretch.

There was no trace of that Hazard that colonized the game. The physical consequences of his injuries distort his ideas and his football drift worsens every day. Nor does it reach the minimum point of inspiration to solve relatively accessible goal situations. Up to two occasions he lost to Hradecky, titanic throughout the European Championship.

Roberto Martínez, as he had warned, lined up Witsel, De Bruyne and Hazard himself to acquire the necessary filming for what is coming. Nor the timid appearance of Belgium, dispassionate in the pressure and with a very low rhythm in the circulation of the ball, it may detract from the presence of Witsel and the genuine inventiveness of Kevin De Bruyne. Roberto Martínez’s rotations did not touch Lukaku, obsessed with scoring, but extended in favor of the new Doku. He responded to expectations with a point of insolence as attractive as at times unprofitable.

Relaxed start, Belgium ran into the usual Finnish bolt. If Kanerva’s men never expose themselves, they were less going to do it when the draw was surely worth them to seal the pass. Finland resisted as long as they could, with more courage than defensive order despite working on the covers of Sparv and Kamara. This time the accumulation of players and the muscular lining did not serve him against a Belgium that woke up without the greatest enthusiasm.

Doku, Witsel and Trossard approached the goal, but none like Hazard, shy in form and failed in definition. Always on the edge of the abyss, Finland could not bear the final burden. Lukaku was denied the goal for a millimeter offside. Then Hradecky, after a shot from Vermaelen in a corner, as it hurts the most, scored his own. Forced to shirtless Lukaku found his prize and Hazard skirted it again. But there is no way with it.

Kanerva: “It’s difficult to keep a clean sheet”

Finnish coach Markku Kanerva acknowledged today after losing to Belgium (0-2) that it is “very difficult” to keep a clean sheet against the “Red Devils”. “It is very difficult to keep a clean sheet against Belgium. They have been scoring twenty or thirty games in a row,” Kanerva said at a press conference.

The coach was “disappointed” to have conceded such a foolish corner on Vermaelen’s goal that he opened the scoring with a quarter of an hour remaining. “Nor should we have left him alone,” he lamented.

He acknowledged that they were lucky when VAR annulled Lukaku’s goal from De Bruyne’s pass, although the Inter Milan striker would end up scoring at the end. “Lukaku is the best player in the world in that kind of play,” he stressed. In any case, he assured that “third place in a group with such quality is a good result.” “Although now I feel empty,” he said, adding that the temperature and humidity level were very high in St. Petersburg today.

In addition to thanking the support of the Finnish fans, very noisy throughout the game at the Krestovski stadium, he assured that the team will not leave Russia until it is confirmed whether or not the Scandinavian team passes to the round of 16 as one of the best third-finals of the six groups of the Eurocup. “It seemed like we were playing at home. The atmosphere was fantastic.”, he pointed.

As for the Danish team, which by defeating Russia (4-1) was finally second in Group B, he assured that “they deserved it”. “We are happy to have beaten Russia. Before the tournament, I don’t know how many thought we had a chance of reaching the eighth.”, he asserted.