Belgium and the Netherlands split the spoils in the latest installment of the Low Countries derby on Tuesday, playing out a 1-1 draw in Brussels. Dries Mertens and Arnaut Groeneveld got the goals.
The Red Devils were the better side for most of the match but lacked heir usual efficiency in front of goal. They almost paid dearly for their inefficiency, as Memphis Depay hit the post and the visitors had their fair share of chances.
Mertens gave Belgium an early lead but a mistake from Timothy Castagne led to the equaliser before half-time.
As one of the most experienced players on the pitch, Axel Witsel captained the Red Devils for the second half. Now just one game shy of 100 appearances for Belgium.
The two sides have drawn six of their last eight meetings. The Netherlands haven’t beaten their rivals since 1997.
Just months after losing to France in the World Cup semi-final, the Red Devils tied Les Bleus at the top of the FIFA rankings, which left some fans of the champions frustrated at the way these rankings work.
It’s hard to deny the Belgians deserve the spot, however, as they’ve been their usual dominant self since the tournament with some impressive wins. Their finishing was uncharacteristically off against the Dutch, but if they had been on point, they could easily have scored three or four.
But it’s not just in attack where their depth shines. Jason Denayer, Simon Mignolet, Castagne and Dedryck Boyata all got the start on Tuesday for the Red Devils
