Belgium labored to a 3-2 victory over Norway on Sunday in their final warm-up match before Euro 2016, displaying their attacking flair and defensive frailty in near equal measure.
Belgium, second in FIFA’s world rankings, looked on course for a clear morale-boosting victory when Romelu Lukaku struck inside three minutes for his fourth goal in four matches.
However, defensive frailties allowed Norway to equalize after 21 minutes and take a 2-1 lead early in the second half, leaving Belgium coach Marc Wilmots still pondering his starting lineup for their opening match at Euro 2016 against Italy on Monday next week.
Photo: AP
The first lapse came midway through a first period that Belgium dominated when midfielder Radja Nainggolan was hustled off the ball by Stefan Johansen and Joshua King beat goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to score off the inside of the post.
In a frenetic three minutes after the break, Belgium’s Kevin de Bruyne fired at goalkeeper Orjan Nyland from close range before Norway’s Veton Berisha, who plays for German second-tier side SpVgg Greuther Furth, cut in from the right, drifted across the defense and scored.
Norway seemed to tire in the final quarter, leaving gaps in their defense and allowing Belgium winger Eden Hazard to head home De Bruyne’s cross in the 70th minute and substitute Laurent Ciman to do the same three minutes later from a corner.
Until then, Norway, who lost to Hungary in the playoffs for Euro 2016, beat Iceland 3-2 and went down 3-0 to Portugal in the past week, offered the sort of tight defense Belgium can expect in Group E, which also features Sweden and the Republic of Ireland.
Belgium are facing a crisis in defense, with captain Vincent Kompany, Nicolas Lombaerts, Dedryck Boyata and Bjorn Engels all ruled out of the tournament in France with injuries.
Wilmots responded to a tepid 1-1 draw with Finland on Wednesday last week by pulling Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld into central defense, where they had a fine season for Tottenham Hotspur.
However, Belgium still look exposed.
Wilmots has also set a deadline tomorrow for defenders Thomas Vermaelen and Thomas Meunier, and forward Yannick Carrasco to prove they are free from injury.
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