Belgium-Japan 3-2: Chadli completes stunning come-back with late goal
Dries Mertens, Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard are set to start up front for the Diables Rouges whilst former Man U target Kagawa has been included in the Asians’ starting XI.
STATS - Belgium have won only one of their five encounters with Japan (D2 L2), although that came in their last meeting in November 2017 (1-0, goal by Romelu Lukaku). Belgium and Japan’s only previous World Cup encounter was in the group stages of the 2002 tournament. They drew 2-2. Belgium have reached the knockout stages of the World Cup for the sixth time in their last seven participations, the only exception coming in 1998. They will be looking to reach the quarter-finals for the third time in their history after 1986 and 2014. Belgium have never kept a clean sheet in their 11 knockout games at the World Cup, losing eight of them (W2 D1). Also, five of their last nine knockout games have gone to extra-time, but only one has seen a penalty shoot-out (v Spain in 1986).
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