Chelseaa striker Romelu Lukaku has been declared fully fit for his side’s World Cup opener against Algeria in Belo Horizonte on Monday.
The Belgium forward, who was looking forward to participating in his nation’s first World Cup since 2002. Lukaku is set to start for Belgium after Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke was ruled out of the tournament with a serious injury in April. The 21-year-old is in fine form after scoring against Sweden earlier this month and then netting a hat-trick in Belgium’s 5-1 win over Luxembourg, although that match is not now recognised by Fifa as coach Marc Wilmots made seven substitutions instead of the permitted six.
Belgium later lost out to Brazil in the second round, with Wilmots (appearing in his fourth World Cup) seeing a strike controversially disallowed in that match against the eventual winners.
Facts Belgium Vs Algeria Via Goal.com
The Belgium forward, who was looking forward to participating in his nation’s first World Cup since 2002. Lukaku is set to start for Belgium after Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke was ruled out of the tournament with a serious injury in April. The 21-year-old is in fine form after scoring against Sweden earlier this month and then netting a hat-trick in Belgium’s 5-1 win over Luxembourg, although that match is not now recognised by Fifa as coach Marc Wilmots made seven substitutions instead of the permitted six.
Belgium later lost out to Brazil in the second round, with Wilmots (appearing in his fourth World Cup) seeing a strike controversially disallowed in that match against the eventual winners.
Facts Belgium Vs Algeria Via Goal.com
- Belgium have won one of their last nine World Cup games (3-2 v Russia on 14 June 2002), drawing five and losing three. They have kept one clean sheet in these nine games: v Netherlands in 1998 (0-0).
- Belgium are unbeaten in their last two World Cup group stages, in 1998 and 2002 (W1 D5).
- Algeria have failed to score in their last five World Cup games, attempting 71 unsuccessful shots since their last goal on 3 June 1986 against Northern Ireland (1-1, Djamel Zidane with the goal).
- Belgium are unbeaten in two previous internationals against Algeria, winning one and drawing one (both friendlies).
- Thibaut Courtois saved 87.1% of shots faced in the European qualifiers, the best ratio among goalkeepers who featured more than five times.
- Eight of Belgium's last 14 goals at the World Cup have come from set-pieces (5 from a corner kick, 2 from a direct free-kick, 1 from an indirect free-kick).
- Only Spain (3) conceded fewer goals than Belgium (4) in the 2014 European World Cup qualifiers.
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