Substitutions :
46th min : H. Flo > Solskjaer
68th min : Mykland > Soltvedt
68th min : Strand > Haland
80th min : Riseth > Ostenstad
Match Report
Georges Leekens changed his team drastically from the match against the U.S.A.
He experimented again with a 4-player defense, but this time with other players.
Staelens (shifted to midfield) and Vidovic were replaced in the center of the defense by Van Meir and De Boeck.
The wing attackers Boffin and Verheyen came back to midfield when necessary.
Norway, who had not lost for 2 years, was certainly a better test to see what the Belgian team was worth.
The match started with a lot of chances for both teams.
The Belgian defense had to search on how to play the new system.
After the first 5 minutes with a few corners for Norway, the first attack for Belgium immediately was a good one :
A corner of Oliveira was headed out, and Franky Van der Elst took the ball in one time : keeper Gill was defeated.
But it didn't last long, because Riseth could equalize just 5 minutes after the opening goal : 1-1.
Before half-time there still were nice chances at both sides :
Wilmots for Belgium, and Flo for Norway hit the cross-bar, and Verlinden had to save a chance in 3 times.
In the second half, there was a clear tactical change in the Belgian team :
Lorenzo Staelens came forward more often, and was actually playing at the position of Wilmots in the first half.
Wilmots played more on the wings in the second half.
De Brul, who had replaced Deflandre as right back, came upfront much more.
He was able to give a nice center, and Wilmots headed the ball into the net : 2-1.
But again the reaction of Norway came immediately.
Solskjaer was sent away just not off side, and he could place the ball into the goal.
At the final stage of the match there were still a few good chances for Belgium :
Substitute Mbo Mpenza claimed a penalty, and after that he gave Verheyen a very nice opportunity to score but the score stayed at 2-2.
After all the 2-2 was a right result for this match.
The final evaluation of this friendly match was positive.
Belgium gave away less chances than against the U.S.A., so the experiment with the 4-player defense is getting better.
But it does still not seem very safe to play that system against a team with very quick attackers, as the Netherlands.
The next friendly match of the Red Devils is on Wednesday 22 April against Romania.
This was the full selection of coach Georges Leekens :
Goalkeepers :
- Dany Verlinden (Club Brugge)
- Filip Van de Walle (Aalst) Defenders :
- Vital Borkelmans (Club Brugge)
- Glen De Boeck (Anderlecht)
- Tjorven De Brul (Club Brugge)
- Eric Deflandre (Club Brugge)
- Philippe Leonard (Monaco - France)
- Eric Van Meir (Lierse)
- Gordan Vidovic (Mouscron) Midfielders :
- Danny Boffin (Metz - France)
- Gert Claessens (Club Brugge)
- Philipe Clement (Racing Genk)
- Lorenzo Staelens (Club Brugge)
- Franky Van der Elst (Club Brugge)
- Nico Van Kerckhoven (Lierse)
- Marc Wilmots (Schalke04 - Germany) Attackers :
- Lokonda Mpenza (Standard)
- Mbo Mpenza (Standard)
- Luis Oliveira (Fiorentina - Italy)
- Gert Verheyen (Club Brugge)
Georges Leekens changed his selection drasticaly from the game against the USA :
8 players in the selection have been changed.
Philipe Clement of Racing Genk is the only one who receives his first selection.
Another surprise was the selection of Dany Verlinden, and he was even selected as first keeper.
De Wilde, who didn't get to play anymore for Lissabon, was not selected for this match.
The 34 year old Verlinden played his first match for the Red Devils on Wednesday against Norway.
The Belgian players who play in the Netherlands (Nilis, De Bilde, Claeys, Peeters) were not selected for this match against Norway,
because they had to play a match on Wednesday.
Scifo was still not selected, his dispute with Leekens is not solved yet.
In this selection, there were 8 players (out of 20) of Club Brugge, the current leader in the Belgian league.
This are the players who were not selected anymore :
De Wilde, Gaspercic, Claeys, Peeters, Nilis, Karagiannis, Walem, Crasson.
And this are the new players :
Verlinden, Van de Walle, De Boeck, De Brul, Van Meir, Oliveira, M. Mpenza, Claessens.
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