Monday's World Cup: Belgium powers past Panama
Sochi, Russia — Unlike the other World Cup favorites that struggled through their opening matches, Belgium looked every part the title contender.
Having Dries Mertens and Romelu Lukaku capable of scoring the way they did against Panama helps.
“People know I am supposed to score goals,” Lukaku said. “The most important thing to me is to win matches.”
Lukaku scored twice in a six-minute span in the second half after Mertens’ perfectly struck volley gave Belgium the lead, and the Red Devils beat overmatched Panama, 3-0, Monday.
Saddled with massive expectations and a lineup of talent the envy of other teams in the tournament, Belgium showed flashes of being a team worthy of title consideration.
A shaky first-half performance by Belgium was replaced by a confident, attacking group in the second that was finally able to find gaps in Panama’s defense and convert those chances into goals.
“In the World Cup you have to play 90 minutes. You have to be aware that in any game you go into, if you don’t score early on, you have to be prepared to work hard and go through periods in which you are tested,” Belgium coach Roberto Martinez said.
The two goals from Lukaku came shortly after Mertens scored from about 18 yards in the opening moments of the second half, finally relieving some pressure after Belgium was unable to break down Panama for the first 45 minutes.
Lukaku’s first goal came 20 minutes later, but the pass from Kevin De Bruyne made it possible. Rather than shooting through a crowd of Panama defenders, De Bruyne cut a pass with the outside of his right foot onto Lukaku’s head and into the net.
Lukaku added a second on a breakaway minutes later, chipping Panama goalkeeper Jaime Penedo as he left his net.
“For me it’s important to have the right line in the box,” Lukaku said. “Usually I’m in the right position at the right time.”
Belgium is now unbeaten in its last six World Cup openers, dating back to a 1986 loss to Mexico in the opener.
Panama was unable to duplicate what Senegal accomplished in 2002 as the last team to win in its World Cup debut. The Central Americans played their style — physical, aggressive, sometimes looking more like wrestling than soccer — and managed to hang with the Red Devils for more than an hour. But they never created threatening scoring chances — Panama scored only nine goals in 10 World Cup qualifying matches — and eventually Belgium finished its opportunities.
The emotion was heavy for the Panamanians who flocked to the Black Sea resort town to see the country play its first World Cup match. Fans cried at hearing their national anthem and the players on the field fought their own emotions while singing. Their voices rose with every Panama attack and the singing and dancing almost never stopped. Panama’s players stayed on the field to salute the fans several minutes after the match ended.
Luminaries like Panama President Juan Carlos Varela Rodriguez and baseball star Mariano Rivera were in attendance. They would have just preferred something a little less challenging than one of the pre-tournament favorites.
“It was very moving to be able to sing the national anthem and represent our country,” Panama captain Roman Torres said. “It was historic what we went through here today.”
More Group G
England 2, Tunisia 1: Harry Kane scored two goals, including an injury-time header, to give England the victory over Tunisia at Volgograd, Russia.
Standing alone at the far post, Kane guided a headed pass from Harry Maguire into the net.
The winning goal came at the end of a drab second half in which Tunisia defended deep and nullified England’s attack.
Kane had put England ahead in the 11th minute with a strike from close range after Tunisia goalkeeper Moez Hassen had acrobatically saved a powerful header from John Stones.
Tunisia equalized in the 35th when Ferjani Sassi converted a penalty, shooting beyond the diving Jordan Pickford. The penalty was awarded after Kyle Walker caught Fakhreddine Ben Youssef with his arm.
Group F
Sweden 1, South Korea 0: Another video review led to a penalty at the World Cup, this time helping Sweden beat South Korea at Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.
Sweden captain Andreas Granqvist converted from the spot, sliding his shot into the bottom right corner in the 65th minute.
Referee Joel Aguilar used the replay technology to decide whether South Korea substitute Kim Min-woo had fouled Viktor Claesson in the area after initially waving play on. Kim had tripped Claesson, though, and the converted penalty was enough to give Sweden its first World Cup victory since 2006.
Before the penalty, Sweden controlled the game and showed most of the attacking intent.
South Korea had a chance to level in injury time but Hwang Hee-chan put a header wide from in front of goal.
Sweden will next play Germany, which lost to Mexico, 1-0, in the other Group F match, on Saturday. The South Koreans face Mexico that same day.
World Cup schedule
Tuesday's matches
Colombia vs. Japan, 8 a.m. (FS1)
Poland vs. Senegal, 11 a.m. (Fox)
Russia vs. Egypt, 2 p.m. (Fox)
Wednesday’s matches
Portugal vs. Morocco, 8 a.m. (FS1)
Uruguay vs. Saudi Arabia, 11 a.m. (Fox)
Iran vs. Spain, 2 p.m. (Fox)