Belgium will face Wales on Monday evening under mounting pressure. The Red Devilโs 0-0 draw against North Macedonia has increased the importance of the clash with Wales as a defeat could see them slip to third and lose their grip on the automatic qualification for the World Cup next summer. While the Red Devils are clearly not the same side they were a few years ago, there is still enough talent in the squad. This talent does not appear to be performing under Rudi Garcia, and the head coach will want to ensure they put in a performance against Wales that earns them three points and eases any fears of missing out on the World Cup.
There was a time when Belgium were by no means assured of a place at major tournaments. However, the rise of the โgolden generationโ saw them become tournament regulars and outside favourites to lift trophies. Famously, it was Wales who ended their chances during Euro 2016, while at the 2018 World Cup they lost an entertaining semi-final to eventual winners France.
While expectations around winning or competing for tournaments may have been reduced, there is still pressure on the Red Devils to qualify for major tournaments. They have plenty of talent playing in the major European leagues and should comfortably qualify from their group. In fairness, the only side they havenโt beaten in their qualification group is North Macedonia. The rest they have taken care of, although they made a meal of their victory over Wales at home.
Their biggest rivals, should they draw or lose to Wales, will be the North Macedonians. They have played one game more than the Belgians and have remaining fixtures against Kazakhstan and Wales. A reminder that only the team finishing first will automatically qualify for the World Cup, with the team in second facing a play-off and teams below that being out.
GBeNeFNย |ย Ben Jackson
