Group F of the 2022 World Cup is shaping up to be a nail-biter, with Thursday's matchup between Croatia and Belgium at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium likely deciding the fate of both teams. Following a dismal goalless draw with Morocco in their group opener, the Checkered Ones put their campaign back on track with a 4-1 win against Canada.
Meanwhile, the 2-0 loss to Morocco last Sunday was a major setback for the Belgians, who had been hoping to reach the knockout stage for the fourth straight tournament since 2002. Before that, on November 23, Roberto Martinez's squad earned a hard-fought 1-0 win over Canada in their group opener thanks to an ill-advised goal from Michy Batshuayi, snapping a two-game losing skid.
The Red Devils' World Cup chances rest on their ability to beat the 2018 finalists on Thursday. They are presently third in Group F, one point behind Morocco and Luka Modric's side.
Why is Belgium's Romelu Lukaku starting on the bench against Croatia?
Since returning to Inter on loan from Chelsea this season, Romelu Lukaku has only featured five times due to injury. He has been out since late October due to a recurring ailment; he didn't play in Belgium's opening 1-0 win against Canada and just returned to training with the team on Friday.
This kept him out of action until late October, and while he scored on his return against Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League and made an appearance against Sampdoria, the striker suffered a recurrence, calling into question his chances of making it to the World Cup.
The 29-year-old striker is ahead of plan in his comeback from a thigh injury, but he has yet to be named in Qatar's starting XI, instead coming off the substitute in the 2-0 loss to Morocco, playing the final 10 minutes of the game. For the deciding clash against Croatia, coach Roberto Martinez has chosen to start Dries Mertens.
