Match reports

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28.03.2011 => friendly game : Belgium - Greece 0-1

Events and lineups

Belgium : Kaminski, Cools (60’Cavanda), Boyata, Wuytens, De Bock, Van Acker (90’ Kabasele), Van Eenoo (60’ Lagouireh), Saglik (60’ Angeli), Benteke, De Bruyne (83’ Labylle), El Ghanassy

Greece : Lamprou, Skondras, Potouridis (58’Mitropoulos), Papadopoulos, Manolas, Petsos (87’ Tsitas), Chrysofakis (64’ Vasilogiannis), Lagos, Giannou (76’ Tsoumanis), Fortounis (76’ Karelis), Karagounis (58’ Soiledis)

Goal : 50’ Potouridis (pen) 0-1

Yellow cards : Lagos (G), De Bock (B); Skondras (G), De Bruyne (B), Manolas (G)

Red card : /

MA/Comm.

Events and lineups

Belgium: Moris, Cavanda (82' Cools), Boyata, Mertens, Labylle, Van Acker, Danilo (58' Lagouireh), Angeli (78' Van Eeno), Benteke (58' Fileccia), De Bruyne (90+1' Wuytens), El Ghanassy (82' Saglik)

Scotland: Adam (86' Andrews), Thomson (79' Cole), Booth, Palmer, Hanlon, Perry, Wotherspoon (70' Armstrong), Cairney (79' McLean), Griffiths (58' Russell), Rhodes (58' MacDonald), Forrest

Goals: 43' Yassine El Ghanassy 1-0

Yellow cards: 52' Thomson (S), 57' Angeli (B)

Red cards: /

MA/Comm.

Events and lineups

Belgium : Coppens, Fabris, D. Wuytens (46’ Weuts),  Koçabas (46’ Makiba), Longueville, Ojo, François, Angeli (58’ Van Eenoo), Bruno, Maciel Sousa Campos (74’ Serwy), Bourdouxhe (46’ Put)

Belgian goals : 6’ Bruno 1-1, 65’ Maciel Sousa Campos 2-2

Yellow cards for Belgium : /

Red cards for Belgium : /


PCO/Comm.

Events and lineups

Turkey : Karabulut, Arıkan, Çek (46’ Aytaç), Boz (72’ Nizam), Başdaş, Kayalı (15’ Potuk), Kaplan, Özçal, Uludağ (46’ Eylik), Çolak (72’ Aydoğdu), Dilaver (63’ Aygüneş)

Belgium : De Wolf, Cavanda (63’ Van Acker), Wuytens, Kocabaş, Durwael (46’ Daeseleire), Angeli, François, De Pauw (80’ Sterckx), Bruno, Van Eenoo (46’ Sousa Campos), Badibanga (46’ Lestienne)

Goals : 20’ Uludağ 1-0, 41’ Çolak 2-0, 71’ Kaplan 3-0, 79’ Aygüneş 4-0, 84’ Bruno 4-1

Yellow cards : 7’ Çek, 31’ Kocabaş, 54’ Lestienne, 62’ Boz, 74’ Potuk, 78’ François


PCO/Comm.

Radja Nainggolan and Jonathan Biabiany

Events and lineups

France : Carrasso, Yanga Mbiwa, Tabanou, N’Goyi, Mangala, Gonalons, Biabiany (63’ Rivière), N’Zonzi (58’ Martin), Roux, N'Gog, Aït-Fana (50’ Sako)

Belgium : Mignolet, Capon, Alderweireld, Boyata (86’ Aarab), Odoi, Mununga, Nainggolan (78’ Hubert), Carcela, Kums, El Ghanassy (89’ Dequevy), Mokulu

Goal : 8’ Mokulu 0-1

Yellow cards : 10’ Alderweireld, 31’ Biabiany, 63’ Gonalons, 73’ Rivière, 83’ Sako

Referee : Luca Banti (Ita.)


PCO/Comm. & Market.

Events and lineups

Belgium : Mignolet, Capon, Boyata, Van Gijseghem, Huyghebaert, Mununga (62' Dequevy), Nainggolan, Kums, Mujangi Bia (79' De Pauw), El Ghanassy, Benteke

Malta : Bonello, Bonnici, Borg, Farrugia, Pisani, Mintoff, Gribbon, Ciantar (71' Sciberras), Muscat, Vella, Chetchuti

Goal : 74' Kums 1-0 (pen.)

Yellow cards : 73' Borg, 90+1' Dequevy, 90+1' Mintoff, 90+3' Farrugia

Referee : R. Eisner (AUT)


PCO/Comm. & Market.

Belgium - Ukraine (EC 2011 qualification match) on 13.11.2009

Result : 0-2

Romelu Lukaku

Events and lineups

Belgium : Mignolet, Aarab (81' Benteke), Alderweireld, Van Gyseghem, Huyghebaert, Buyens, Mununga, Witsel (67' Capon), Lukaku, Carcela, Mujangi-Bia (46' Kums)

Ukraine : Kanibolotskiy, Matveyeyev, Sakhnevych, kravets (67' Fedorchuk), Kryvtsov, Morozyuk (90+1' Garmash), Bilyy (74' Vitsenets), Golodiuk, Chesnakov, Konoplyanka, Pashayev

Goals : 36' Golodiuk 0-1, 73' Golodiuk 0-2

Yellow cards : 3' Aarab, 4' Carcela-Gonzalez, 19' Morozyuk, 51' Pashayev, 66' Konoplyanka


PCO/Comm. & Market.

Events and lineups

Belgium : Mignolet, Aarab, Huygebaert, Van Gyseghem, De Laet (37' Kitoko), Mununga, Odjidja, Nainggolan, Witsel, Capon (70' Mujangi Bia), Lukaku (93' Vossen) 

France : Olimpa, Corchia, Capoué, Sakho, Mbengue, M'Vila, Ekoko (68' Bakar), Nzonzi, Sankhare, Tabanou, Modeste (60' N'Gog) 

Yellow cards : De Laet, Nainggolan, Modeste, Sankhare, M'Vila, N'Gog 

Red cards : 86' Odjidja en Mbengue

Audience : 4.118 

Referee : Kinhöfer (Ger.)


PCO/Comm. & Market.

Joachim Mununga

Events and lineups

Belgium : Mignolet, Kitoko, Aarab, Van Gyseghem, Nainggolan, Mununga (87' Capon), Odjidja-Ofoe, Vossen (71' Lukaku), Kums (46' Carcela), De Laet, Wuytens 

Slovenia : Oblak, Skubic, Skarabot, Bacinovic (74' Geric), Zec, Balazic, Tolimir, Omladic (63' Marceta), Matavz (85' Plut), Mihelic, Velikonja

Goals : 56' Nainggolan 1-0, 77' Lukaku 2-0

Yellow cards : 24' Zec, 29' Bacinovic, 43' Skarabot, 45' Mununga, 58' Nainggolan, 59' Omladic  


PCO/Comm. & Market.

Events and lineups

Belgium : Baguette, De Laet, Aarab (46' Hubert), Van Gyseghem (69' Van Loo), Huyghebaert (46' Biemans), Mununga (69' De Pauw), Kitoko, Wuytens (46' Kums), Odjidja-Ofoe (46' Nainggolan), Carcela (46' Villano), Vossen (46' Capon)

Finland: Lehtovaara (46' Hradecky), Nikkari (58' Sumusalo), Tanska (61' J. Ojala), Arajuuri, Aalto, M. Ojala (46' Pelvas), Mattila, Kauko (Mannström), Kolehmainen (82' Virtanen), Riski, Pukki (58' Kangaskolkka)

Yellow card : Mattila


PCO/Comm. & Market.

Events and lineups

Belgium : Mignolet, Kitoko (82' Lella), Dachelet, Biemans, Cabeke, Odjidja-Ofoe, Villano (89' Kage), Nainggolan, Capon (82' De Wilde), Kums, Mujangi-Bia

Goal : 63' Capon 0-1

Yellow cards : 26' Odjidja-Ofoe, 65' Kums

RVB/Technisch Centrum

Events and lineups

Belgium : Goeman, Van Loo (67' Aarab), Alderweireld, Van Gyseghem, Huyghebaert (86' Coppin), Odjidja-Ofoe, Mununga (86' Tshimanga), Wuytens (46' Nainggolan), Capon (46' Vossen), Kums (67' Carcela-Gonzalez), Villano (46' Mujangi-Bia)

Sweden : Azinovic, Salomonsson (70' Albornoz), Sudic, Ekstrand, Eriksson, Rajalakso (46' Nordmark), Johansson (Martensson), Bergholtz, Durmaz, Kujovic, Söder (46' Hallenius)

Goals : 5' Söder 0-1, 54' Mununga 1-1, 77' Carcela-Gonzalez 2-1

Yellow cards : 72' Goeman, 78' Van Gyseghem


PCO/Comm. & Market.

Belgium - Cyprus (EC 2009 qualification match) on 09.09.2008

Result : 3-2

Belgium may have had nothing to play for, but they ended their Group 7 campaign in style with a thrilling victory over Cyprus in Mons, coming back from 2-0 down to win 3-2.

Vattis strikes
Cyprus were the better team in the first half and took the lead after 16 minutes through Andreas Avraam's deflected long-range strike. Jean-François De Sart's side recovered their poise after the break and early in the second period Giuseppe Rossini sent a header narrowly wide, before Sven Kums' shot was saved. Yet it was Cyprus who struck next, as Ilias Vattis converted a cross from the left to seemingly end Belgium's chances.

Rossini double
The 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Championship semi-finalists, however, brought themselves back into the game five minutes later when Alessandro Cordaro narrowed the deficit with a 20-metre strike. On the hour Cyprus were reduced to ten men as Georgios Shelis was sent off following a scuffle, and the hosts duly made their man advantage count. Rossini headed in Steven Jacob's cross in the 78th minute, then decided the contest six minutes from time when he turned in a centre from the left. Belgium finished the group in second place on eleven points, five above bottom side Cyprus, but nine behind table-topping Austria.

Events and lineups

Belgium : Steppe, De Mets, Buysens, Corstjens, Buysse, Colpaert, Wuytens, Cordaro (76' Jacobs), Capon (46' Vossen), Rossini (87' Hubert), Kums

Cyprus : Asprogenis, Kyriakou, Ioannou, Dimitriou, Zarnas (68' Efthymiou), Panagi, Shielis, Christofi, Vattis (72' Nicolaou), Dimitriou (81' Efrem), Avraam

Goals : 16' Avraam 0-1, 54' Vattis 0-2, 59' Cordaro 1-2, 78' Rossini 2-2, 85' Rossini 3-2

Yellow cards : De Mets, Kyriakou, Vossen

Red card : Shielis (65')

Slovakia - Belgium (EC 2009 qualification match) on 05.09.2008

Result : 1-1

Events and lineups

Slovakia : Kamenar, Cikos, J. Maslo, Dzogan, Mraz, Weiss (90' Gergel), P. Maslo, Kuzma, Stoch, Piroska (69' Majtan), Jendrisek (88' Sylvestr)

Belgium : Steppe, Colpaert, Vandelannoite, Corstjens, Buysse, Van Gyseghem, Legear, Buysens, Rossini, Kums (76' Vossen), Lamah (76' Yulu-Matondo)

Goals  : 63' Lamah 0-1, 65' Weiss 1-1

Yellow cards : Buysse (22'), Lamah (27'), Mraz (72'), Van Gyseghem (77'), J. Maslo (80'), P. Maslo (81')



PCO/Comm. & Market.

Germany  - Belgium Olympic selection (friendly match) on 05.02.2008

Result : 2-1

Germany will resume their UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying campaign next month in positive mood after defeating Belgium 2-1 in an international friendly in Koblenz.

Aogo strike
Belgium used the match as preparation for the Olympic Games and fielded a strong side bolstered by some of the players who, though no longer eligible for the Under-21s, led Belgium to the semi-finals of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in the Netherlands last summer. Even so in front of 4,300 it was Germany who took command from the outset and duly went ahead on 25 minutes, Dennis Aogo firing in from the penalty spot after Ashkan Dejagah had been brought down in the area.

Germany press
Patrick Ebert, Dejagah and Marko Marin all squandered good chances to add to the lead as Belgium struggled to get a foothold in the game. It took the visiting side 35 minutes to draw a save from Germany goalkeeper Thorsten Kirschbaum, and they fell further behind soon after doing so. On 42 minutes Mesut Özil found Ebert, whose pass was turned into his own goal by Belgium's Laurent Ciman.

Late goal
Germany had further chances to add to the lead after the restart but it was Belgium who struck next, substitute Jeanvion Yulu-Matondo making the most of some uncharacteristically hesitant defending with four minutes to play to bring his side back into the game. It was too little too late as Germany held on to extend their unbeaten run to eight games. They next face Luxembourg at home on 25 March looking to move into top spot in Group 9. Belgium, who are second-bottom in Group 7, resume their campaign away to Cyprus the following day.

Events and lineups

Germany : Kirschbaum, Beck (46' Schwaab), Aogo (46' Bieler), Ebert (46' Özbek), Dejagah, Hummels, Özil (70' Schindler), Kruska, Rosenthal, Marin, Höwedes

Belgium : Steppe, Vanden Borre, Simaeys (72' Corstjens), Ciman, Mulemo (46' Witsel), Overmeire (56' Odjidja-Ofoe), De Mul, Haroun, De Sutter (56' Yulu-Matondo), De Smet (68' Moia), Pocognoli (68' Van Loo)

Goals : 25' Aogo 1-0, 40' Ciman 2-0 (own goal), 86' Yulu-Matondo 2-1

Belgium - Iceland (EC 2009 qualification match) on 20.11.2007

Result : 1-2

Match report by Berend Scholten

Iceland beat Belgium 2-1 to jump above their hosts into third place in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Group 7.

Early damage
First-half strikes from Birkir Bjarnason and Arnor Smarason gave Iceland a 2-0 lead midway through the first half and it was not until ten minutes were left on the clock before Tom De Mul pulled one back for Belgium.

Crowd silencer
Bjarnason silenced the crowd at the Edmond Machtens Stadion when he gave the visitors the lead in the 15th minute after dribbling through the Belgian defence and firing home. Iceland then doubled their lead less than ten minutes later when Smarason drove in from 20 metres. De Mul reduced the deficit with a shot from just outside the penalty area and nearly grabbed an equaliser but was thwarted when away goalkeeper Haraldur Bjornsson saved his free-kick. Belgium have four points from five games and sit fourth in the five-team section while Iceland have six points from five games.

Events and lineups

Belgium : De Winter, Van Gyseghem (46' Vanden Borre), Vandelannoite, Corstjens, Moia, De Mul, Cordaro, (76' Vadis) Witsel, Pocognoli, Legear (46' Rossini), Yulu-Matondo

Iceland : Bjornsson, Adalsteinsson, Skulason, Thorisson, Jonasson, Bjarnason (89' Juliusson), Gunnarsson, Eyjolfsson, Gislason, Finnbogason (68' Sigthorsson), Smarason (90+1' Sigurdsson)

Goals: 15' Bjarnason 0-1, 25' Smarason 0-2, 81' De Mul 1-2

Yellow cards : Bjarnason (22'), Vandelannoite (43'), Gislason (60')

Match report by Michael Fiala

Michael Madl and Rubin Okotje scored two goals in the last ten minutes as Austria twice came from behind to claim a 3-2 victory against Belgium and take a significant step towards the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals.

Outrageous lob
Semi-finalists in the Netherlands this summer, Belgium's aspirations of a repeat performance in Sweden took another major knock but it had started brightly as Jonathan Legear gave them a 13th-minute lead. The home side struggled to find a way back into the game but nevertheless went into half-time with parity restored courtesy of Harun Erbek's audacious 40-metre lob.

Dramatic end
Jeanvion Yulu-Mantondo restored Belgium's advantage seven minutes after the restart but Austria responded in determined fashion. With nine minutes remaining Madl made it 2-2 to set up a grandstand finish that reached its crescendo in the final minute when Okotje reacted quickest to hesitance in the Belgian penalty area to rifle in and delight the Pasching crowd.

Events and lineups

Austria : Olejnik, Baumgartlinger, Dober, Erbek, Hoffer (90+4' Zakany), Junuzovic, Klein, Madl, Sonnleitner, Stanislaw (74' Okotie), Stankovic (88' Reiter)

Belgium : Steppe, Van Gyseghem, Vandelannoite, Corstjens, Moia, Vermeulen (58' Sanchez D'avolio), De Mul, Yulu-Matondo (84' Rossini), Witsel, Legear, Vanden Borre

Goals : 13' Legear 0-1, 32' Erbek 1-1, 52' Yulu-Matondo 1-2, 81' Madl 2-2, 90' Okotie 3-2

Yellow cards : Hoffer (14'), Dober (22'), Klein (38'), Witsel (42'), Stanislaw (67'), Moia (90+1')

Red card : Sanchez D'avolio

Belgium scored four times in the final 22 minutes to complete an outstanding comeback and register their first win in UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying Group 7.

Jendrišek double
The home side, who reached the last four at the finals in the Netherlands in June, had only taken one point from their first two games in qualifying so were desperate to get their campaign back on track. But their hopes appeared to be in tatters when Lukás Opiela struck on 21 minutes and Erik Jendrišek after 56 minutes to give the visitors a two-goal cushion.

Amazing turnaround
Belgium were given a glimmer of hope when Tom De Mul pulled a goal back on 68 minutes and they began to dream of an amazing escape when Anthony Vanden Borre levelled on 74 minutes with a penalty. The superb turnaround was completed with another Vanden Borre strike and a goal from Giuseppe Rossini inside the last four minutes. Belgium go to group leaders Austria, who they trail by three points, on Tuesday while Slovakia, who have two points from three games and sit bottom of the group, host Cyprus.

See the complete program, the results and the standings of the EC 2009 qualification matches

Events and lineups

Belgium : Ma-Kalambay, Goreux, Derijck, Corstjens, Pocognoli (39' Lamah), Witsel (77' Sanchez D'avolio), De Mul, Vanden Borre, Yulu-Matondo, Cordaro (61' Rossini), Moia

Slovakia : Kosicky, Pekarik (82' Nemcek), Mraz, Toth, Jonas, Pilar (66' Izvolt), Kucka, Maslo, Jurco, Opiela (86' Majtan), Jendrisek

Goals : 21' Opiela 0-1, 55' Jendrisek 0-2, 66' De Mul 1-2, 74' Vanden Borre 2-2, 86' Vanden Borre 3-2, 89' Rossini 4-2

Yellow cards : Goreux (17'), Pocognoli (31'), Mraz (73')

Iceland drew their third match in succession in the UEFA European Under-21 qualifying Group 7, this time 0-0 against Belgium in Akranes.

Spirited affair
Iceland had drawn against Slovakia on Friday and they had to settle for a single point again here in a spirited encounter that saw both teams receive three yellow cards. Belgium reached the semi-finals of the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Championship but are still looking for their first win of the 2009 campaign after kicking off with defeat against Austria on Friday. They did have the ball in the net late on here but the strike was ruled out for offside. They next play Slovakia on 12 October while Iceland take on Austria four days after that

Events and lineups

Iceland : Bjornsson, Adalsteinsson (80' Thorisson), Skulason, Einarsson, Jonasson, B. Bjarnason, Gunnarsson, Vidarsson, Jonnson (69' Vilhjalmsson), Juliusson (69' Kristjansson), T. Bjarnason
 
Belgium : Ma-Kalambay, Goreux, Derijck, Corstjens, Pocognoli, Legear, Van Steenbrugghe, Witsel, Cordaro (80' Nainggolan), Lamah (80' Moia), Pollet

Yellow cards : Jonasson (9'), Pocognoli (15'), Gunnarsson (26'), Derijck (28'), Jonnson (36'), Legear (38'), Skulason (90')

Belgium's aspirations of emulating their 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Championship semi-final appearance were dealt an immediate blow as they started their Group 7 qualifying campaign with a 1-0 loss to Austria.

Schiemer header
Franz Schiemer was the hero for the visitors, rising to head a beautifully floated cross past goalkeeper Yves Makabu Ma-Kalambay as Belgium were left to rue missed opportunities. Tom De Mul, Jonathan Legear and Jeanvion Yulu-Matondo all had chances in a dominant first-half performance but even after Schiemer had put them behind, it was Makabu Ma-Kalambay that was the busier goalkeeper. Belgium did have one chance when Ibrahim Maaroufi struck from just outside the area but his effort failed to hit the target.

Events and lineups

Belgium : Ma-Kalambay, Goreux, Derijck, Corstjens, Pocognoli, De Mul, Maaroufi (85' Pollet), Legear (73' Capon), Witsel, Lamah, Yulu-Matondo

Austria : Olejnik, Dober, Schiemer, Hoheneder, Erbek, Baumgartlinger, Zakany, Kavlak, Stankovic (77' Hoffer), Sulimani (66' Hackmair), Okotie (90' Stanislaw)

Goal : 75' Schiemer 0-1

Yellow cards : Pocognoli (27'), Lamah (36'), Dober (83')

U-21 EC : Serbia - Belgium (U-21 EC) on 20.06.2007

Result : 2-0

Goals at the start and finish of the match from Aleksandar Kolarov and Dragan Mrdja took Serbia into their second UEFA European Under-21 Championship final in three attempts as they held off the challenge of a hard-working Belgium side in Arnhem.

Free-kick opener
Kolarov's fourth-minute free-kick evaded everyone to give Serbia an initiative they were never to cede in a tense semi-final, and when substitute Mrdja ran clear to add a second with three minutes left, a squad that includes eight players who lost at this stage with Serbia and Montenegro last summer as well as three who featured when the 2004 final went Italy's way, knew they would have the chance of another U21 showpiece. Belgium, particularly Marouane Fellaini, had their chances but too often their attacks foundered on the centre-back pairing of Branislav Ivanović and Duško Tošić. Serbia now take on the Netherlands in Groningen on Saturday night.

Kolarov shock
The previous game at this venue, between Italy and the Czech Republic on Sunday, had witnessed a fourth-minute goal and Belgium began as if seeking to better that. They could have taken the lead with barely 60 seconds played. Tom De Mul tricked his way down the left and, though Kevin Mirallas missed his low cross, the ball fell perfectly for Fellaini, back from suspension, who sliced over from close range. An early goal did arrive though at the wrong end from Belgium's point of view, as Dejan Milovanović was brought down midway inside the opposing half and Kolarov's curling free-kick deceived goalkeeper Logan Bailly – who was expecting a cross – and clipped the right-hand post to nestle in the back of the net.

Martens missed
The score rocked Belgium back on their heels and, without the invention of inspirational captain Maarten Martens – kept on the bench by knee and ankle injuries – they struggled to unpick Serbia's familiarly solid back line. They were largely restricted to long-range shooting, Anthony Vanden Borre flashing one such effort just too high, although the best opportunity of the opening 45 minutes again came at the other end. Djordje Rakić sprinted away on to Milovanović's through-ball but this time Bailly was alert to the danger and raced from his line to block the striker's first-time shot.

Blondel ambition
It took a last-ditch tackle from Jonathan Blondel to prevent Milovanović breaking clear at the onset of the second period, before the midfielder threatened in opposition territory, calling Damir Kahriman into action for the first time with a dipping attempt that the Serbia goalkeeper had to flick over the crossbar. That proved a sign of things to come as Belgium began to press forward and spurned a glorious chance to draw level a minute past the hour. Faris Haroun sprang the Serbia defence and sent Fellaini clean through, yet once more Kahriman was equal to the task and saved with his left leg.

Serbia hold out
Fellaini passed up another scoring invitation moments later, nodding Sepp De Roover's cross past the post when unmarked in front of goal, although Serbia captain Ivanović might have put the match beyond Belgium when he advanced upfield to skip past three challenges only to prod a shot straight at Bailly. Haroun then sliced Fellaini's knock-down harmlessly wide before substitute Mrdja confirmed that Serbia - European U21 champions as part as Yugoslavia in 1978 – would have the opportunity to be crowned kings of the continent again as he collected Milovanović's flicked header to slide a shot past Bailly.

Events and lineups

Serbia : Kahriman, Ivanovic, Rukavina, Kolarov, Smiljanic, Jankovic, Rakic (77' Mrdja), Milovanovic (90+1' Babovic), D. Tosic, Drincic, Z. Tosic (67' Basta)

Belgium : Bailly, De Roover, Lombaerts, Haroun, Mirallas, Vertonghen, De Mul (77' De Smet), Pocognoli (Martens 86'), Fellaini, Vanden Borre, Blondel

Goals : 4' Kolarov 1-0, 87' Mrdja 2-0

Yellow cards  : Rakic (23'), Tosic (80'), Lombaerts (82'), Basta (84'), Blondel (90+1')

Belgium - Netherlands (U-21 EC) on 16.06.2007

Result : 2-2

Sébastien Pocognoli's 70th-minute strike ensured Belgium joined the Netherlands in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship semi-finals after an entertaining draw between the Low Countries rivals.

Pocognoli goal
With Belgium trailing 2-1 at half-time and Group A rivals Portugal beating Israel, Jean-François De Sart's side looked to be heading out of the competition. But Pocognoli made sure of their safe passage and a place in the Olympic Games when he drove powerfully beyond Kenneth Vermeer with 20 minutes left. The draw means the Netherlands finish top of Group A on seven points, two ahead of Belgium. Foppe de Haan's team will play their semi-final here on Wednesday while Belgium travel to Arnhem to play Group B winners Serbia.

Bailly save
De Haan made four changes from the side that defeated Portugal, the most surprising being Ryan Donk's move out of central defence to take the holding midfield role in place of Hedwiges Maduro. What had not changed was the confidence running through the team and after only a minute, man of the moment Royston Drenthe had raised the pulse with a shot just wide. The Netherlands were already guaranteed a ticket to the semi-finals but there was no let-up here and their attacking intentions nearly paid off on six minutes when Donk's point-blank effort was blocked by goalkeeper Logan Bailly.

Mirallas opener
Suspensions and injury had forced Belgium coach De Sart's hand and his new-look lineup took time to settle. When they finally got hold of the ball, they quickly found their feet and scored with their first meaningful attack. Tom De Mul crossed for Kevin Mirallas who headed past Vermeer on nine minutes. For the first time in the tournament the Netherlands were behind, but not for long. In front of nearly 26,000 the Jong Oranje responded in the best possible way on 13 minutes, Ryan Babel playing in strike partner Maceo Rigters for a low shot past Bailly.

Drenthe strike
An earlier downpour had left a sodden surface yet it could not dampen enthusiasm for this derby as both teams created chances in an entertaining first half. By kick-off the sun had come out and once again it was shining brightly on the irrepressible Drenthe who curled in a free-kick on 37 minutes to put the Netherlands in front. Bailly got a full palm to it, but it seems nothing can stop the Feyenoord man at the moment. With Portugal leading Israel 2-0 at half-time, Belgium were facing elimination as they came out for the start of the second half.

Salvation
Mirallas flashed an early opportunity over and Faris Haroun came close with a header, yet they lacked urgency and the Netherlands almost went further ahead on 67 minutes when Bailly saved sharply to his right to keep out Daniël de Ridder's attempt. Out of the blue, though, Belgium drew level. Pocognoli pushed forward down the left and Vermeer could only push his rising shot into the goal. Belgium supporters were as surprised as they were ecstatic. Although Otman Bakkal had a deflected strike skim wide late on for the Netherlands, it was the Belgium fans who ended the contest in full voice. Arnhem and Beijing here they come.

Events and lineups

Belgique: Bailly, De Roover, Lombaerts, Overmeire, Haroun, Mirallas, Martens, De Mul (90' Witsel), Pocognoli (87' Mulemo), Ciman, Vanden Borre (65' Blondel)

Pays-Bas: Vermeer, Zuiverloon, Vlaar, Kruiswijk, Pieters, Drenthe (73' Beerens), Babel (79' Jenner), de Ridder, Rigters (63' Janssen), Donk, Bakkal

Buts: 9' Mirallas 1-0, 13' Rigters 1-1, 37' Drenthe 1-2, 70' Pocognoli 2-2

Cartes jaunes: Donk (14'), Pocognoli (35'), Zuiverloon (75')