International Friendlies: Belgium vs Costa Rica, 5 Talking Points

#2 Defensive Preparedness

Which defense came out on top?

Costa Rica displayed a more defensive gameplay as Belgians pressurized their defense lines throughout the fixture. The Red and Blues even after successfully dealing with most crosses and near assists, failed to keep a few efforts out of the goal, which ultimately made the difference on the scoreline.

As their attacking players were kept marked by Belgian defenders, the midfielders instead of putting the ball ahead, were forced to play a lot of back passes, that eventually invited pressure on the defenders.

Belgium's defense is just like the rest of the squad, a star-studded one. They mark the players well throughout the game which limits passing options for the opponent side. Defensive midfielders like Witsel and De Bruyne also aid to the defensive line with acting as a continuous passing availability.