Belgia<\/p>\n
By Richard Pedler<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Belgium's coach, Paul Van Himst is the greatest
\nplayer that country has ever had. He's a four-time 'footballer of
\nthe year,' who's won every honor and has a scoring record of 30
\ngoals in 81 internationals.<\/p>\n
His past strength as a player is now the Diables Rouges' major
\nweakness: \"We just don't possess the strikers to give us that
\nlittle edge at top level in international football.\"<\/p>\n
CROATIAN DISCOVERY<\/p>\n
The search for a solution to striker Luc Nilis' symptomatic
\nfailure to score in over 20 matches (despite over a hundred in
\nthe league) has led to a battle with the red tape to obtain
\ncitizenship for Josip Weber in time for Belgium's departure for
\nthe US.<\/p>\n
Croatian-born Weber has scored a century of goals in five
\nseasons at Cercle Bruges, and his killer instinct will be
\nessential to the fulfillment Belgium's hopes.<\/p>\n
A partnership with Luis Oliveira, US$3 million Brazilian-born
\nCagliari striker, could make the Devils a dangerous contender.<\/p>\n
Enzo Scifo, an Italian-born playmaker and long-shot
\nspecialist, returns with a wealth of experience shared by many
\nmembers of the current team. There is also Michel Preud'homme,
\nwho was for a decade one of Europe's best keepers (despite
\nmissing Mexico'86 after a match-fixing scandal), Franky Van Der
\nElst, a tough tackler who reads the game well, and veteran
\nstopper, Georges Grun. All have gone through the heartbreak of
\nWorld Cup disappointment.<\/p>\n
SOLID AT THE BACK<\/p>\n
Grun (European Cup-winners' Cup victor with Parma) and
\nPhilippe Albert (Belgian Footballer of the year in 1992) are
\nsolid in the center, aided by Rudi Smidts at left-back. The
\nmidfield work-force (Staelens and Van Der Elst) give Scifo time
\nto create or score.<\/p>\n
Danny Boffin provides pace and width up front, while Marc
\nDegryse roams around. And let's not forget Marc Wilmots who was
\ntop scorer in the qualifiers with five goals.<\/p>\n
After six wins in a row, Belgium almost collapsed. They just
\nbarely scraped through the qualifying tournament on the last day,
\ndespite their failure to score.<\/p>\n
In fact, 16 goals in ten matches was a miserly return in a
\ngroup which included the desperately poor Faroes, who were
\ndemolished in Rumania and Wales. Belgium's ten-match total was
\nthe lowest among the qualifiers from Europe.<\/p>\n
TACTICS<\/p>\n
As Van Himst modestly states: \"I'm not a magician; I simply
\nhave a well-organized and talented side which is excellent at
\ncounter-attacking.\" The squad, drawn from both the Flemish and
\nFrench-speaking parts of the country, has the two peoples united.<\/p>\n
Degryse, in his tenth year at this level, explains Belgium's
\ncurrent strength: \"Apart from Enzo, we have no household names,
\nbut we make up for that with great teamwork; and we know how to
\nbattle for results.\"<\/p>\n
Belgium are the seeded team in the weakest group, alongside
\nneighbors Holland, with Saudi Arabia and Morocco making up the
\nnumbers as two of the weakest sides at USA94. With the inclusion
\nof Weber, the time has come for them to finally come good as The
\nYear of The Devil continues!<\/p>\n
Tomorrow: Bolivia<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/belgia-1447899208", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }