The lap of honor that the Devils offered themselves at the final whistle tells us a lot. They supported it with one or the other “Ola”, enriched it with a few pauses to commune with their supporters. Of course, it was to make amends for making them suffer during the debacle against the Netherlands. But it is not the only reason.
They won’t say it but for them too it was a big relief. After Friday’s humiliation, back in Tubize, they talked to each other, told each other the truths that needed to be heard, made important decisions. Eden Hazard add to “We said important things to each other, but it will stay between us“.
A performance once again worthy of a world-class team
What the players told each other between four eyes, we may never know, but it was seen on the royal turf: intensity, pressing, defensive solidarity, short and quick combinations towards the Polish goal, vertical play, audacity, speed, and so on. And 6 goals!
And it was not only in the second half (when the Poles were resigned or tired) that the Belgians were attractive. No, the first period was already high performance, before (and after, by the way!) Lewandowski’s goal.
Certain attitudes speak more and better than speeches. For example, at the start of the match, when Kevin De Bruyne (metamorphosed compared to Friday) places an acceleration and that it is dried by Gregory Krychowiak6 to 7 Devils melt as one man on the referee to push him out of the box.
The opening of the score by Robert Lewandowski barely recorded, the black-yellow-red offensives resumed with renewed vigour, a sign of intact confidence and determination. “We had no doubts about the outcome of the meeting ” will say the coach at a press conference.
On the 2-1 (goal by KDB), the angry and triumphant gesture of Roberto Martinez is talking too. He will not say it, but he has suffered (and grumbled) since the victory of the troops of Louis van Gaal.
6 goals, without Romelu Lukaku, and none signed Batshuayi
At 3-1, the match is folded, the Poles are no longer there. And yet the world N2s continue to press, to run, while making the defensive efforts sometimes necessary. And will register 3 more, as if to better wash away the orange affront. Where then is the fatigue of an excessively long season?
When Eden Hazard (65th) and Kevin De Bruyne (74th) leave, Martinez’s sustained hug, reinforced by words in his ear, testifies to the importance of the result forged last night, despite the weakness of the ‘opponent.
Finally, the sublime 2nd goal of Leandro Trossard and the one, also impressive, signed by Leander Dendoncker clearly bear witness to the confidence and desire that inhabited (or rather animated) this groupe.
By performing like this, we will never know what this team would have forged as a result against the Netherlands 5 days ago, but we are already looking forward to the return match in September.
