
Belgium coach Roberto Martinez has revealed that he is plotting to end Brazil's bid for a record-extending sixth World Cup ahead of their quarter-final at the Kazan Arena on Friday. However, the nation's 'Golden Generation' has also been reminded that the match against the favourites could represent the last chance for them to shine on the world stage. "It's a dream match for our players," Martinez told the Belgian press after sealing qualification for the last eight with a last-gasp 3-2 victory over Japan in the first phase of the knockout rounds. "There won't be many secrets to the game. We have to defend as well as we can and then punish them when we have the ball. It's that simple, and this team is ready for that." On paper, the Red Devils containing the talents of Chelsea's Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City and Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku have the potential to cause a World Cup upset. (LIVE SCORES: Brazil vs Belgium)
Live Updates Between Brazil vs Belgium, 2018 FIFA World Cup, Quarter-Final, straight from Kazan Arena, Kazan
22:20 IST: Nacer Chadli and Marouane Fellaini both start for Belgium while suspended Caseimiro has been replaced by Fernandinho.
Ready for another big game?
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 6, 2018
Yeah, so are we.
Here are the teams for #BELBRA! #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/09MMe3507S
Hello #Kazan !
— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) July 6, 2018
#REDTOGETHER #WorldCup #BRABEL pic.twitter.com/jTpwy2WMEW
21:53 IST: Brazil board the bus for Kazan Arena, as fans stand by with high hopes of seeing their side enter the semi-finals.
Embarque da delegao rumo ao estdio de Kazan para https://t.co/io5JhMr0n9
— CBF Futebol (@CBF_Futebol) July 6, 2018
21:50 IST: In the first quarter-final France went through to the semi-final as Antoine Greizmann was adjudged the man of the match.
The @Budweiser #ManoftheMatch for #URUFRA was @FrenchTeam's @AntoGriezmann! #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/D3kjMOeq8q
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 6, 2018
21:30 IST: Hello and welcome to the live commentary from the quarter-finals tie between Brazil and Belgium.
But despite sailing through the group stage, Martinez's ambitious unit have their work cut out if they are to go all the way to the July 15 final in Moscow.
Third-ranked Belgium reached the quarter-finals in 2014 in Brazil but before that the last time they got so far was in 1986, when 'Little Prince' Frank Vercauteren steered them to the semi-finals before a Diego Maradona double-ended their hopes in a 2-0 defeat in Mexico.
Vercauteren said before the tournament that Russia represented "perhaps one of the last chances for this generation of players to live up to expectations, because in 2022 a lot of them won't be there".
On Monday, Belgium mounted a stirring fightback to beat Japan, with Nacer Chadli scoring the winner in the 94th minute.