Sweden – Belgium: Tedesco’s Reign Starts With A Convincing Victory (0-3)

After a disappointing World Cup, Belgium began the new era with a triumphant performance against Sweden. It was a game of two halves, but Belgium were clinical, with Romelu Lukaku scoring a hattrick to seal an impressive victory on their travels. 

Tactical analysis and match report by Rahul Madhavan.

Belgium were dumped out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in a horrendous fashion, which resulted in huge ramifications. After a group stage exit, head coach Roberto Martínez bid adieu, with captain Eden Hazard also announcing his retirement from international football. 

The golden generation, lauded as the country’s biggest hope for silverware, was dismantled in a rather woeful manner. But they are set to step foot into a new era, with former RB Leipzig and FC Schalke boss Domenico Tedesco taking charge of the country. The dawn of the new era brings a sense of anticipation and optimism with several youngsters named in the squad. 

Meanwhile, Sweden, after a quarter-final appearance in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, failed to cement their place in the 2022 World Cup. Following some disappointing results, they have gained some momentum, with four straight victories during the recently concluded international friendlies. 

Manager Janne Andersson has held his position for over seven years and he named a strong starting lineup. Robin Olsen played in goal, with Linus Wahlqvist, Hjalmar Ekdal, Victor Lindelöf, and Ludwig Augustinsson as the back four. Samuel Gustafson, Kristoffer Olsson, Mattias Svanberg, and Emil Forsberg started in midfield, while Dejan Kulusevski and Alexander Isak were in attack. 

Tedesco, on the other hand, preferred a 4-3-3 system, with the experienced Thibaut Courtois starting in goal. Timothy . . .