Brussels (AFP)
Without necessarily shining, Belgium, led at the break, ended up winning against Switzerland (2-1), during a friendly match of very average quality played Wednesday evening in Leuven.
Admir Mehmedi opened the scoring in the first period for the Helvetians (12th), but the Red Devils finally won thanks to a double from Michy Batshuayi (49, 70).
Mistreated and even led at the break following a goal scored by Admir Mehmedi (Wolfsburg) following a huge error of appreciation by Sebastiaan Bornauw (Cologne, 12th), the Belgian team, the first nation in the Fifa ranking, managed to overthrow steam thanks in particular to the rise in the interesting game of the former Monegasque Youri Tielemans (Leicester), which allowed the Red Devils to regain control of the midfield.
She was also able to rely on the newfound sense of goal of the former Marseillais Michy Batshuayi, aligned at the forefront in the absence of Romelu Lukaku, spared by Roberto Martinez like several other executives (Courtois, Witsel, De Bruyne , Mertens…).
Invisible during the first act, Batshuayi ended up making his efficiency speak by planting the two goals of the Belgian victory, his 20th and 21st personal in 32 caps.
He scored the first calmly, flat-footed, following a quick deep pass from Tielemans (49th, 1-1).
20 minutes from the end, it was following a cross from the right of Rémois Thomas Foket, recalled at the last minute, that the Crystal Palace striker sealed the fate of the Swiss (2-1).
The two countries, which had already met twice barely two years ago as part of the League of Nations, had rotated their workforce so as not to overload organizations that will still be in high demand in the coming days.
Belgium will face England on Sunday, then Iceland next Wednesday.
At the same time, Switzerland will challenge Spain on Saturday and then Ukraine next Tuesday.
© 2020 AFP