© BELGA
There will be no Belgian women’s football at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next year. The Red Flame lost the vital first round match in the World Cup qualifiers on Thursday, in Visela against Portugal, 2-1. “Everyone is very frustrated, and I think that’s normal,” said national team coach Yves Cernells.
source: BELGA
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“We previously thought the number would be fifty, and it came true,” said Sirnels of the Belgian Football Association (KBVB). “We said that there would be moments in the match that would be decisive, and today they turned in Portugal’s favour. The Portuguese were aggressive with good health. At this level you know you can expect situations like this.”
“We’re going to put our heads together tomorrow and look to the future,” Cernells continued. “Whether any players will withdraw after this disappointment? These are matters that we will be looking at individually in the coming days and weeks. Now is not the time.”
© BELGA
Tessa Wallart also thought it was a dime on his side. “She was in her fifties but unfortunately it didn’t work out in our favour. We may have created too few chances and conceded another goal on the fixed stage. We can and should do better than this and we must look to the future.”
“I think we deserved to win too, in the second half there was definitely room to score,” concluded the striker, who scored the Belgian goal from the penalty spot.
