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SPORTS Saturday 7 July 2018
Belgium eliminates Brazil from

World Cup to reach semifinals

By ROB HARRIS Thibaut Courtois. first trophy.
KAZAN, Russia (AP) — Bel- For the third time in a World "Now we need more en-
gium reached the World Cup — after 1982 and 2006 ergy for the next game,"
Cup semifinals for the first — the semifinals will fea- Martinez said, "so let's make
time in 32 years by holding ture only European teams. sure that we're all together
off five-time champion Bra- Belgium and France will and we're all driving each
zil 2-1 Friday, sending Ney- meet in St. Petersburg on other to be as good as we
mar home without living Tuesday. The next day in can ... in the semifinal."
up to the expectations of Moscow, it will be either With eight shutouts in the Brazil's Renat Augusto, center, scores his side's first goal during
being soccer's most expen- England or Sweden against last nine games, including the quarterfinal match between Brazil and Belgium at the 2018
soccer World Cup in the Kazan Arena, in Kazan, Russia, Friday,
sive player. either Russia or Croatia. three in the four games in July 6, 2018.
Belgium scored the deci- The other two quarterfinal Russia, Brazil had the tight- Associated Press
sive goal on a counterat- matches will be played est defense of the remain-

Brazil goalkeeper Alisson sits on the pitch after Belgium's Kevin De Bruyne, left, scored his side's
second goal during the quarterfinal match between Brazil and Belgium at the 2018 soccer World
Cup in the Kazan Arena, in Kazan, Russia, Friday, July 6, 2018.
Associated Press

tack just after a corner had Sunday. ing teams at the World
been taken by Neymar. Humiliated 7-1 by Germany Cup. But it was breached
Romelu Lukaku surged for- in the semifinals fours year after 13 minutes in Ta-
ward with the ball and Kev- ago on home soil, Brazil tarstan. Fernandinho's own-
in De Bruyne put it in the didn't even get that far this goal ensured for the first
net to give Belgium a 2-0 time. Just like defending time since March 2017 that
lead in the 31st minute. champion Germany and Brazil was trailing in a com-
"This was the biggest test for Argentina before them, the petitive match. Unlike then
us," De Bruyne said. "Brazil Kazan Arena is where Bra- — an eventual 4-1 victory
was so strong in attack." zil's World Cup challenge over Uruguay — there was
The opener came after a ended. no comeback.
bit of good fortune. Fer- "This is beating Brazil in the Not when Courtois was
nandinho's trailing arm World Cup, in the knock- proving to be an impene-
inadvertently helped Bel- out," Belgium coach Ro- trable barrier in the Belgium
gium captain Vincent Kom- berto Martinez said. "Just goal, denying Marcelo's
pany's header land in his treasure it and pass it down strike before the lead was
own net in the 13th minute. in the generations." extended.
As Belgium lost cohesive- Belgium is now on a Criticized for his playacting,
ness in the second half and 24-match unbeaten streak. Neymar then went down
Brazil's changes stirred the There is guaranteed to be lightly under minimal con-
team, substitute Renato a fourth straight European tact from Marouane Fel-
Augusto reduced the defi- team winning the World laini at the start of the sec-
cit in the 76th with a head- Cup on July 15 in Moscow. ond half. But as the referee
er. Belgium, which finished started to seek a video re-
But it was too late for Brazil fourth at the 1986 tourna- view, Neymar appeared
to muster an equalizer as ment and has never won to urge him against it. A
efforts to force the game the European Champion- booking — if he got one for
into extra time were thwart- ship, will hope its golden diving — would have ruled
ed by Belgium goalkeeper generation can deliver its him out the semifinals.q