Brussels (AFP)
For its return to the League of Nations, Belgium, leader of the Fifa ranking, did not shine but won (2-0) on Danish soil thanks to an early goal from Jason Denayer then another from Dries Mertens on Saturday in Copenhagen.
This match, the first without the iconic captain of the Devils, Vincent Kompany, was a test for Roberto Martinez's men.
Without Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois or Kevin De Bruyne, the Belgians experienced difficulties against the Danes led by a very good Eriksen.
Often dominated in the game, they nevertheless knew how to play with their physique to finally win and take the lead of Group 2 of League A.
Jason Denayer opened the scoring, and his selection goal counter, in the 8th minute during the first Belgian offensive while until then, the Danes were the first on the ball.
The Scandinavians remained combative, keen to react on several occasions, in particular via Eriksen (25th) which required a high-class stop by Simon Mignolet, tenured to replace Thibaut Courtois, suspected of being affected by the Covid-19.
But the Belgians took shelter a quarter of an hour from the end with a goal from Dries Mertens, his 19th in the selection.
- An orphan defense of Kompany -
This match was for Belgium the first meeting without Vincent Kompany, 34, emblematic captain of the golden generation of the Red Devils, who bowed out.
Despite injuries from which he never really recovered, "Vince The Prince", former player of Anderlecht (86 caps), Hamburg and especially Manchester City (4 Premier League titles) had managed to leave his mark on the rear guard of the Red Devils.
But Belgium will now have to do without him and with an aging defense: Thomas Vermaelen quietly ends (at 34) his career in Japan.
Promoted captain, Jan Vertonghen is 33 years old and has had little playing time this season at Tottenham.
Toby Alderweireld and Dedryck Boyata, recently in their thirties, nevertheless remain reliable alternatives in the defensive axis of the Devils.
But on Saturday, Jason Denayer (25), brilliant in recent weeks with Lyon, showed that he had everything to be the new leader of the Belgian central defense.
Supported by the one who announces himself as the new prodigy Zino Vanheusden, defender of Standard de Liège presented as the new ... Kompany, Belgium, although still in its infancy, seems on the point of operating its change.
© 2020 AFP