FIFA World Cup 2018: On one hand, Belgium is all set to make its mark on the FIFA World Cup 2018 as the favourites, Panama will be playing its first quadrennial tournament. Belgium and Panama will go head-to-head against each other at the Fisht Stadium, Sochi. Talking of the favourites in the match, the Roberto Martinez team has a host of talented players to choose from and the team are ranked third in the world.
There front three comprising of Romelu Lukaku, Eden Hazard, and Dries Mertens are of the highest quality and they are backed up by the magician Kevin De Bruyne. There is no possible weakness in the team, however, the way Brazil, Germany and Argentina have failed to take on the small teams, no one can tell how easy would it be for the men dressed in orange.
WATCH| Belgium vs Panama LIVE Streaming Online, FIFA World Cup 2018 Live
As for Panama, they will be at their first World Cup after a dramatic finish above the USA in CONCACAF qualifiers. Their strength lies in the fact that they are the underdogs. It means, whatever happens, they will not go down without a fight. They will work hard, would like to repeat their performance against Denmark in March. Román Torres, the forward who was arguably the star of the qualifiers, has been injured and will not travel to Russia in the best shape.
65 min: Belgium win a free-kick about 30 yards from goal, almost straight in front of it. Kevin De Bruyne tries his luck, but fires straight into the wall.
53 min: Carrasco falls asleep, allowing Michael Murillo to dart in behind him and collect a long ball in behind. He gets a decent touch as Courtois rushes off his line. The Belgian goalkeeper saves the right-back’s shot with his legs. Woeful defending from Carrasco, who is widely recognised as the weak link in this Belgian team.
Dries Mertens scores a stunner.
48 min: That was a fine, technically perfect goal from Mertens. Belgium had a corner and the ball was floated into the penalty area and only half-cleared following a n impromptu game of head tennis. Standing near the edge of the area on the right side having taken the corner, Mertens’ technique could scarcely have been better as he sent a dipping volley into the bottom left-hand corner.
Peep! Janny Sikazwe signals for the break and Panama go in having kept Belgium scoreless. Belgium have been very lethargic and sluggish; a team of great players and no apparent plan. If Panama could somehow nick a goal, it’s not difficult to imagine this Belgium team having an England-v-Iceland type meltdown.
36 min: Carrasco and Hazaard combine well down the left, the ball comes to Meunier and he plays a first-time ball into Romelu Lukaku. He’s penalised for a shove on Roman Torres, who goes to ground very easily from the slightest contact by the Belgian striker.
35 min: Panama win their first corner. Edgar Barcenas sends the ball into the mixer, where Kevin De Bruyne heads clear.
31 min: Another Belgium corner, which Eden Hazard takes. Again, nothing comes of it. Belgium are clearly the superior team, but are going about their business in a very lackadaisical fashion. They should be hammering Panama, but the score remains 0-0.
29 min: Kevin De Bruyne takes the corner short, gets the ball back and crosses it into the penalty area from a better angle. Michael Murillo clears for Panama.
26 min: Belgium are being allowed play it out from the back with impunity by Panama, who are putting Messrs Alderweireld, Vertonghen and Boyata under no pressure whatsoever as they sally forth out of defence with the ball.
24 min: Panama go on a rare sortie into Belgium territory on a counter-attack after relieving Eden Hazard high up the field. Axel Witsel clears the danger when the ball is crossed into the penalty area by Edgar Barcanes.
23 min: From the corner, Hazard sets up De Bruyne for a shot, but the midfielder fires high over the bar.
20 min: Belgium are finding plenty of room to manoeuvre down both flanks and this time they attack down the right. Mertens plays the ball towards the far post, where Romelu Lukaku is lurking unmarked and with intent. He’s foiled with a brilliant interception from Roman Torres, who pokes the ball wide of the upright for a corner. He could quite easily have prodded the ball into his own net, there.
20 min: Belgium are finding plenty of room to manoeuvre down both flanks and this time they attack down the right. Mertens plays the ball towards the far post, where Romelu Lukaku is lurking unmarked and with intent. He’s foiled with a brilliant interception from Roman Torres, who pokes the ball wide of the upright for a corner. He could quite easily have prodded the ball into his own net, there.
18 min: Thomas Meunier wins Belgium a corner, while Erick Davis is booked for a foul on Dries Mertens in the build-up. The corner is from the training ground and Panama switch off. Dries Mertens is teed up just inside their penalty area, but fires his shot wide.
18 min: Thomas Meunier wins Belgium a corner, while Erick Davis is booked for a foul on Dries Mertens in the build-up. The corner is from the training ground and Panama switch off. Dries Mertens is teed up just inside their penalty area, but fires his shot wide.
11 min: Eden Hazard shoots into the side-netting after pouncing on a dreadfully under-hit pass from Roman Torres to his goalkeeper Jaime Penedo. He was on the byline and had time to look up before shooting, but wasn’t able to slip the ball past Penedo at his near post from such a narrow-angle.
9 min: It’s looking ominous for Panama in these early stages, as Belgium’s slow build-up from the back is repeatedly pinning them back deep inside their own territory. One suspects that an early goal could signal the opening of the floodgates.
8 min: Belgium win a corner. Dries Mertens falls to the ground and appeals for a penalty as the ball is cleared, claiming to have been shoved by Blas Perez. A replay suggests he’s chancing his arm.
6 min: The ball’s played across the Panama penalty area, Hazard dummies cleverly and the ball rolls perfectly forward for Carrasco. His low drive is on target, but feeble and Jaime Penedo saves comfortably. Carrasco should have done better.
3min: Belgium’s back three ping the ball to and fro among themselves before lumping it forward. Panama win possession, surge forward up the right and a Yannick Carrasco foul earns them a free-kick wide on the right. Erick Davis drills the ball into the Belgium penalty area, where Kevin De Bruyne heads it clear.
1 min: Kevin De Bruyne gets his first touch of the ball and it’s a good one, a pass in behind for Yannick Carrasco to chase. He tries to put in Romelu Lukaku, whose shot is blocked. Belgium appeal for a corner, but referee Janny Sikazwe awards a goal kick.
Torres may be the captain but Gabriel Gomez is the de facto leader and he gives the final gee ups. They pass it back to Torres who whacks it 70m and gives Perez a hare to chase but the ball skips off the turf and into Courtois' grasp.
Having heard the first-ever rendition of their national anthem at a World Cup finals, Panama’s pumped supporters in Sochi, at home and anywhere else they may be, see their team begin their first ever World Cup match. Panama get the ball rolling ...
The Panama team have gone for the full Dallaglio, absolutely belting out the anthem, some of them on the verge of a patriotic rapture.
If you wish to listen to the Belgium and Panama's national anthem here you go. LISTEN
BELGIUM National Anthem: Listen
PANAMA National Anthem: Listen
Eden Hazard and Roman Torres lead them out for the national anthem.
Belgium (3-4-2-1): Courtois, Alderweireld, Boyata, Vertonghen, Meunier, Witsel, De Bruyne, Carrasco, Mertens, E. Hazard, R. Lukaku.
Subs: Mignolet, Casteels, Kompany, Dendoncker, Hazard, Tielemans, Dembele, Fellaini, Chadli, Januzaj, Batshuayi.
Panama (4-1-4-1): Penedo, Murillo, Escobar, R Torres, Davis, Gomez, Godoy, Cooper, J Rodriguez, Barcenas, Perez.
Subs: Claderon, A Rodriguez, Cummings, G Torres, Diaz, Machado, Pimentel, Arroyo, Ovalle, Tejada, Avila, Baloy.
Hello and welcome to the Belgium vs Panama live blog. Let's just jump to the point. I think either it will be a completely one-sided game with Belgium thrashing the first-times or Panama will be giving a tough time to their opponents just like Iceland gave to Argentina. Here is the starting line-up. Belgium has started with the predicted players but with Vincent Kompany rested.