Belgium’s Golden Generation serves up Spain win ‘on a silver platter’

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It wasn’t so much that the “stars didn’t align,” as Belgium coach Rudi García lamented post-game, it’s that the stars kept getting hurt.

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First, it was Amadou Onana, victim of an ACL injury against the United States.

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Zeno Debast was caught in a disagreement between club and country’s differing opinions over whether he was fit to play.

Then, in the warmup before the biggest game of his career, team captain Youri Tielemans injured himself. It was the sourest of notes in what looked like it could have been Belgium’s magnum opus.

“When you’re coming up against a team of this calibre, you need luck on your side as well,” Garcia said after his team fell 2-1 to Spain in their World Cup quarterfinal in Los Angeles.

“The players were up to scratch. They sang from the song sheet that I gave them. They did exactly what they needed to do. But once again, we needed Lady Luck to be on our side, and unfortunately, she was smiling at Spain and not Belgium.”

The biggest injuries were saved for late in the game. Midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, the finest Belgian of his Golden Generation, left late.

But the cruelest twist of fate was losing goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois at the second hydration break. He left with a muscle injury that left him unable to power the long clearances needed to relieve Spanish pressure.

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His replacement, Senne Lammens, came on and spilled one of the first shots he faced, an overly optimistic shot from distance from Spain’s Pau Cubarsí. He vainly tried to get back to the ball, but Mikel Merino poked it home in the 88th minute — the winner that sent Belgium home.

“You can’t be offering anything on a silver platter,” a downcast yet philosophical Garcia said, “and, unfortunately, we did a couple of times.

“(Injuries) are part and parcel of high-level sports. (Courtois) is one of the best goalkeepers in the world. Losing him during the game … was obviously a hard hit to take.”

The Red Devils pushed to the end for an equalizer, but it will be Spain moving on to face France in the semifinals in Dallas on July 14, just the second time they’ve reached that stage. The other was 2010 in South Africa, when they won it all.

Belgium’s Golden Generation were long in the tooth, but their fangs were still sharp enough, pushing Spain to the brink. As old as their stars are, none of them were alive the last time Belgium beat Spain in a competitive fixture — the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals, which they only won on penalties.

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Garcia didn’t want to speak to what is likely the end of the road for players like De Bruyne, Courtois and Romelu Lukaku. ”

“We’re not here to talk about the future. It’s not the right moment,” he said. “We’re here to talk about the game … That’s the only thing that matters tonight.

“I’m disappointed for those who maybe won’t come back with the national team. Those who were competing in their last global competition. I took a team that I want to take as far as possible, my veteran players that maybe are on their way out, so that they could have one last hurrah. It’s a shame. We’re disappointed that the show’s over.”

Fabián Ruiz opened the scoring in the 30th minute, converting a rebound that Courtois had spilled.

Charles De Ketelaere punctured the Spanish goal — scoring the first goal against Spain in this World Cup — in the 41st minute, outmuscling Cubarsí to smash home a diving header past goalkeeper Unai Simón.

Spain came into Friday’s game holding a shutout streak streak that stretched across six games, 650 minutes total, longer than the legendary 36-year-old record established by Italy’s Walter Zenga.

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It was just the sixth shot on target Spain had conceded this tournament.

“The record and the milestone are there,” said Spain coach Luis de la Fuente. “What was done was exceptional, and it was decades. It’s been decades since the last record was set, and perhaps somebody will break (Simón’s) record. But I think it’s going to be many, many years until somebody breaks his clean sheet record.”

First up, the semifinal with Spain.

“This is going to be the final before the final. Two of the best teams in this tournament, and we are slightly different,” said de la Fuente. “We are capable of winning this game, and not just now. I would have said this a few weeks ago as well. I have the conviction. I am convinced. I trust, and I have full confidence in my players, in my team, and in our potential. We are clearly going to face a great giant of football.”

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