Preview: Perfect rehearsal for both World Cup participants
Belgian and Colombian football fans are enjoying the time of their lives and Thursday’s matchup will surely produce pure entertainment. The current generation of Belgium’s national football team players forms an enviable line up for any coach – with Romelu Lukaku, Christian Benteke and Eden Hazard constituting a terrifying attacking trio while Thibaut Courtois and Liverpool’s Simon Mignolet provide headaches to opposite strikers.
In the UEFA World Cup qualifying campaign, Les Diables Rouges proved too fierce for Group A’s five other contenders. They notched in a decent amount of 18 goals in 10 matches and conceded only four times. The road to Brazil was an enjoyable one for Belgium and the time has come for them to build up on what they have already achieved.
Los Cafeteros will provide the Belgians with a stern test as both teams aim to perform at their best at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Colombia last participated in this major tournament 15 years ago but will be hopeful of making a great impact this time out with Radamel Falcao and Jackson Martinez adding spark to the team.
The Colombians were Argentina’s closest rivals in the South American World Cup qualifiers. They secured automatic tickets in total fashion thanks to an incredible but controversial 3-3 draw against Chile.
Thursday’s friendly match in Brussels will have a few absentees such as Arsenal’s Thomas Vermaelen and Manchester City’s Vincent Kompany; both defenders are out through injury. Still, the game promises to be interesting. Colombia are currently the world’s fourth best football nation, according to the October 2013 FIFA Ranking. Last month’s release saw them jump a place up with 1178 points – only three more than fifth-ranked Belgium.
Where to watch the match – live stream, start time, TV channels, live scores
Watch Belgium vs Colombia live on Thursday, November 14, 2013:
In USA at 15:00 ET on: ESPN3, ESPN Deportes
Club RTL and ESPN Cono Norte will be part of the broadcast channels in Belgium and Colombia respectively. For full details and live scores upon kick-off, visit the Belgium-Colombia match page.
