[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"football-site-config":3,"world-cup-status-en":27,"news-detail-why-belgium-won-2-0-tielemans-and-lukaku-goals-vs-croatia":61,"news-related-why-belgium-won-2-0-tielemans-and-lukaku-goals-vs-croatia-en":102,"news-related-match-why-belgium-won-2-0-tielemans-and-lukaku-goals-vs-croatia-en":215},{"adSlots":4,"affiliateMode":5,"brandName":6,"contentStrategy":7,"currency":8,"friendLinks":9,"homepageLayoutKey":10,"leagueFocus":11,"locale":12,"planVisibility":13,"seoDescription":14,"seoTitleTemplate":15,"siteCode":10,"siteName":6,"siteType":10,"subscriptionMode":5,"timezone":16,"id":17,"tenantID":18,"primaryDomain":19,"countryCode":20,"logoUrl":21,"faviconUrl":21,"theme":22,"seoKeywords":24,"status":25,"ads":4,"focusLeagues":26,"affiliatePolicies":26},[],"shared","Football Prediction Platform","scores_predictions","USD",[],"main",[],"en-US",[],"Football fixtures, results, free predictions, subscriptions, and clearly labeled partner links.","{page} | Football Prediction Platform","America\u002FNew_York",323900000000000000,1,"football.easytestdev.online","US","",{"primaryColor":23},"#1677ff","football predictions, football fixtures, football results","active",null,{"active":28,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"leagueImagePath":31,"seasonId":32,"seasonName":33,"startingAt":34,"endingAt":35,"daysToStart":36,"daysToEnd":37,"phase":38,"includeQualifying":39,"hostCities":40},true,"326135624916537344","World Cup","https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.api-sports.io\u002Ffootball\u002Fleagues\u002F1.png","326255613308833792","2026\u002F2027","2026-06-11","2026-06-28",-37,-20,"finished_recent",false,[41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60],"Atlanta","Boston","Dallas","East Rutherford","Guadalajara","Houston","Kansas City","Los Angeles","Mexico City","Miami","Monterrey","New-York","New York New Jersey","Philadelphia","San-Francisco","San Francisco Bay Area","Seattle","Toronto","Vancouver","Zapopan",{"article":62},{"awayTeamId":63,"awayTeamName":64,"body":65,"category":66,"excerpt":67,"homeTeamId":68,"homeTeamName":69,"id":70,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"matchId":71,"matchName":72,"publishedAt":73,"slug":74,"sourceName":75,"sourceURL":76,"teamId":63,"teamName":64,"teamIds":77,"teamNames":89,"title":101},"326222711401484288","Belgium","Belgium delivered a statement of intent ahead of the 2025 FIFA World Cup with a clinical 2-0 friendly victory over Croatia in Rijeka. Captain Youri Tielemans and returning striker Romelu Lukaku found the net, while Thibaut Courtois produced world-class saves to keep a clean sheet. The win provided Rudi Garcia with vital answers as he fine-tunes his squad for the tournament opener against Egypt in Seattle on June 15.\n\nTielemans, riding high after scoring in Aston Villa's Europa League final triumph over Freiburg, broke the deadlock in the 38th minute. The goal originated from a Jérémy Doku cross that Croatia's defense failed to clear convincingly. Pouncing on the loose ball, Tielemans fired a precise angled finish past the goalkeeper, underlining his importance as both captain and midfield engine.\n\nGarcia's decision to deploy a flat three-man defense—a formation he had wanted to test during the March United States tour—proved effective. Amadou Onana anchored the backline, while young Nathan Ngoy stepped in on the right of the trio and impressed with his composure and one-on-one defending. Ngoy, making a rare appearance, rarely looked troubled and showed maturity beyond his years, offering Garcia another reliable option at the back.\n\nCroatia's best first-half chance fell to Luka Modric, whose clever flick from inside the box demanded a miraculous save from Courtois. The Real Madrid goalkeeper extended his frame to divert the ball, preserving Belgium's lead and reminding everyone of his status as one of the world's elite shot-stoppers. It was a moment that could have shifted momentum but instead reinforced the visitors' resilience.\n\nBelgium’s high press and immediate counter-pressing stifled Croatia's buildup. Kevin De Bruyne, granted a free role, roamed to create overloads, while the wide corridors were constantly exploited. Despite a few early organizational issues, the team grew into Garcia's demanding system and largely dominated the individual battles across the pitch.\n\nThe second half saw Croatia push for an equalizer, with substitute Ante Budimir coming closest. The Osasuna striker, who scored 17 La Liga goals this season, rose to meet a cross but saw his header crash against the crossbar. Doku continued to threaten on the break with his blistering pace, keeping the Croatian defense honest.\n\nLukaku, making his return to the national team setup, put the result beyond doubt with a trademark finish. While the exact timing of his goal is less documented, his presence and sharpness signaled that he remains a focal point for Garcia's attacking plans. The goal capped a satisfying evening for the Belgian faithful.\n\nThe performance offered several positives for Garcia. Tielemans' form, Lukaku's return, Courtois' reliability, and Ngoy's emergence all bolster the squad's depth. With Zenon Debast sidelined until at least the third group game against New Zealand on June 26, having alternatives in defense is crucial. Leandro Trossard, fresh from a Champions League final loss to PSG, is also expected to rejoin the camp, further strengthening the team.\n\nBelgium now head to Brussels to face Tunisia in their final warm-up match, a last chance to experiment before the World Cup kicks off. The team's ability to maintain this intensity and adapt to different opponents will be key. Garcia's tactical blueprint—a three-man defense with high pressing—appears to be taking shape, and the players seem to be buying into it.\n\nUltimately, this friendly was more than just a routine win. It provided clarity, confidence, and a template for how Belgium can navigate a tricky World Cup group. With stars like De Bruyne, Courtois, and Lukaku firing, the Red Devils are quietly building serious momentum.\n\nBased on reporting from L'Equipe.","news","Belgium beat Croatia 2-0 in a World Cup warm-up friendly, with Tielemans and Lukaku scoring and Courtois making crucial saves, offering Garcia tactical clarity.","326222713104371712","New Zealand","337329533608792065","327115077104701440","New Zealand vs Belgium","2026-06-02T18:04:24Z","why-belgium-won-2-0-tielemans-and-lukaku-goals-vs-croatia","L'Equipe","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.lequipe.fr\u002FFootball\u002FActualites\u002FLa-belgique-dispose-de-la-croatie-grace-a-youri-tielemans-et-romelu-lukaku-pour-son-premier-match-amical-avant-la-coupe-du-monde\u002F1681245#at_medium=RSS_feeds",[63,68,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88],"326222711493758976","326257546425798656","326257565778317312","326257602382008320","326222712936599552","326222713016291328","326222767416414208","326255039846813696","326255041625198592","326257565535047680","326222712177430528",[64,69,90,91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99,100],"Croatia","Aston Villa","Osasuna","Vitesse","Paraguay","USA","Lesotho","FK Partizan","Partizani","Real Madrid","Tunisia","Why Belgium Won 2-0: Tielemans and Lukaku Goals vs Croatia",[103,133,161,186],{"awayTeamId":-1,"awayTeamName":-1,"body":-1,"category":66,"excerpt":104,"homeTeamId":-1,"homeTeamName":-1,"id":105,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"matchId":106,"matchName":21,"publishedAt":107,"slug":108,"sourceName":75,"sourceURL":109,"teamId":110,"teamName":111,"teamIds":112,"teamNames":122,"title":132},"Guéla Doué scored and assisted as Ivory Coast beat France 2-1 in a friendly, outshining his brother Désiré who featured for Les Bleus in the sibling showdown.","338200147588550657","0","2026-06-05T04:00:00Z","guela-doue-downs-brother-s-france-ivorian-2-1-win","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.lequipe.fr\u002FFootball\u002FArticle\u002FUn-but-et-une-passe-decisive-contre-la-france-la-soiree-de-reve-pour-guela-doue-avec-la-cote-d-ivoire\u002F1681944#at_medium=RSS_feeds","326222712533946368","Ivory Coast",[110,113,114,115,63,84,116,117,118,119,120,121],"326222711447621632","326255037997125632","326257536145559552","326257536078450688","326257536296554496","326257537865224192","326257686389723136","326257535994564608","326222707169431552",[111,123,124,125,64,96,126,127,128,129,130,131],"France","Strasbourg","Rennes","Paris Saint Germain","Auxerre","Estoril","Together","Nantes","Anderlecht","Guéla Doué downs brother's France: Ivorian 2-1 win",{"awayTeamId":134,"awayTeamName":135,"body":-1,"category":66,"excerpt":136,"homeTeamId":137,"homeTeamName":138,"id":139,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"matchId":140,"matchName":141,"publishedAt":142,"slug":143,"sourceName":144,"sourceURL":145,"teamId":137,"teamName":138,"teamIds":146,"teamNames":153,"title":160},"326222712622026752","South Africa","Shakira & Burna Boy sing 'Dai Dai' at 2026 World Cup opener June 11 in Mexico City, with J Balvin, Tyla. Buble, Morissette, Perry, Future lead other ceremonies.","326222711908995072","Mexico","338120887364489217","327115024327774208","Mexico vs South Africa","2026-06-04T22:48:54Z","shakira-burna-boy-to-open-2026-world-cup-in-mexico","BBC Sport","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.com\u002Fsport\u002Ffootball\u002Farticles\u002Fc8939ykg3qgo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss",[137,134,82,147,148,121,83,149,150,151,152],"326222713142120448","326257593007738880","326257563345620992","326257565195309056","326222711623782400","326257791226351616",[138,135,94,154,155,131,95,156,157,158,159],"Canada","Azteca","Heracles","Barcelona","Colombia","Nigeria","Shakira, Burna Boy to Open 2026 World Cup in Mexico",{"awayTeamId":162,"awayTeamName":163,"body":-1,"category":66,"excerpt":164,"homeTeamId":113,"homeTeamName":123,"id":165,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"matchId":166,"matchName":167,"publishedAt":168,"slug":169,"sourceName":75,"sourceURL":170,"teamId":110,"teamName":111,"teamIds":171,"teamNames":178,"title":185},"326222711783165952","Senegal","France lose first friendly under Deschamps, 2-1 to Ivory Coast in Nantes, revealing defensive issues 10 days before World Cup start vs Senegal.","338126221931974657","327115052106649600","France vs Senegal","2026-06-04T22:34:17Z","bleus-lose-friendly-under-deschamps-2-1-to-ivory-coast","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.lequipe.fr\u002FFootball\u002FArticle\u002FUne-defaite-ni-vraiment-grave-ni-completement-anodine-pour-les-bleus-a-dix-jours-de-leur-entree-en-scene-au-mondial\u002F1681936#at_medium=RSS_feeds",[110,113,162,120,172,82,84,85,86,173,118,174,175,176,177,121],"326257810885054464","326257536413995008","326257541157752832","326257545754710016","326257554411753472","326257789708013568",[111,123,163,130,179,94,96,97,98,180,128,181,182,183,184,131],"York","Paris FC","Galatasaray","Newcastle","Newcastle Jets","China","Bleus Lose Friendly Under Deschamps: 2-1 to Ivory Coast",{"awayTeamId":187,"awayTeamName":188,"body":-1,"category":66,"excerpt":189,"homeTeamId":113,"homeTeamName":123,"id":190,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"matchId":191,"matchName":192,"publishedAt":193,"slug":194,"sourceName":75,"sourceURL":195,"teamId":113,"teamName":123,"teamIds":196,"teamNames":205,"title":214},"326222712819159040","Iraq","Lucas Hernandez: France's 1-2 friendly loss to Ivory Coast is better now than June 16 World Cup opener vs Senegal, with Northern Ireland test next.","338124609578602497","327115069915664384","France vs Iraq","2026-06-04T22:32:57Z","hernandez-france-loss-better-now-than-june-16","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.lequipe.fr\u002FFootball\u002FActualites\u002FLucas-hernandez-apres-la-defaite-1-2-de-la-france-contre-la-cote-d-ivoire\u002F1681942#at_medium=RSS_feeds",[113,187,110,162,197,198,199,118,174,200,201,202,203,204],"326257664243798016","326257535885512704","326222712013852672","326257556060114944","326257565845426176","326257695210344448","326257796423094272","326222712898850816",[123,188,111,163,206,207,208,128,181,209,210,211,212,213],"Northern Ireland","Lille","Iran","Estudiantes L.P.","Mallorca","Signal","Russia","Qatar","Hernandez: France Loss Better Now Than June 16",{"awayScore":216,"awayTeam":217,"description":221,"homeScore":216,"homeTeam":222,"id":71,"kickoffAt":226,"length":227,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"leagueSlug":228,"probabilityLabel":30,"slug":229,"status":230,"tvStations":231,"venueCity":59,"venueName":232},0,{"code":218,"id":63,"imagePath":219,"name":64,"slug":220},"AWY","https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.api-sports.io\u002Ffootball\u002Fteams\u002F1.png","belgium","Belgium must win to secure a knockout spot, while New Zealand can keep their round-of-16 hopes alive with an upset. The result will likely decide which team advances from the group.",{"code":223,"id":68,"imagePath":224,"name":69,"slug":225},"HME","https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.api-sports.io\u002Ffootball\u002Fteams\u002F4673.png","new-zealand","2026-06-27T03:00:00Z",90,"world-cup","new-zealand-vs-belgium-2026-06-27","scheduled",[],"BC Place"]