Heroisme Howard Gagal Antar AS ke Babak 8 Besar
Howard`s Heroics Fail to Save World Cup Dream as Belgium Send America Out
Editor : Ismail Gani
Translator : Novita Cahyadi
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Salvador (B2B) - Belgia akhirnya memenangi pertempuran sengit melawan Amerika Serikat pada laga terakhir babak 16 besar Piala Dunia 2014 di Fonte Nova Arena, Salvador, Selasa petang waktu setempat (Rabu pagi WIB), dengan skor akhir 2-1.
Belgia, yang dipaksa meladeni permainan cepat Amerika Serikat, membuka keunggulan melalui gol De Bruyne menit 93, menit awal babak pertama perpanjangan waktu setelah kedua tim bermain sama kuat 0-0 dalam dua babak waktu normal, seperti dilansir Yahoo Sports.
Kebuntuan terpecahkan setelah pelatih Belgia Marc Wilmots memasukkan Lukaku pada babak pertama perpanjangan waktu. Umpan gemilang Lukaku lah yang mengantar gol De Bruyne untuk Belgia.
Sekitar 12 menit kemudian, Lukaku memperbesar keunggulan Belgia. Kali ini giliran de Bruyne yang membantu Lukaku untuk menaklukkan kiper Tim Howard.
Umpan Bruyne kepada Lukaku yang berada di kotak penalti Amerika Serikat, diselesaikan dengan sempurna oleh pemain Chelsea itu. Bola tendangannya bersarang di kanan bawah gawang AS dan tidak bisa dijangkau Howard.
Namun, Belgia yang sudah unggul dengan dua gol, tidak lantas dengan mudah memastikan kemenangan, karena pada awal babak kedua perpanjangan waktu pemain pengganti Green mencetak gol untuk memperkecil ketertinggalan AS.
Green mencetak gol pada menit 107, umpan lambung dari tengah lapangan disambutnya dengan contekan taktis. Bola sepakannya melayang masuk ke gawang Belgia meskipun sempat tersentuh tangan kiper Courtois.
Meski AS terus berupaya menyamakan kedudukan dengan serangan-serangan berbahaya dan mendebarkan, hingga 2x15 menit berakhir Belgia lah yang menjadi pemenang serta memastikan melaju ke perempat final Piala Dunia 2014.
Dalam laga panjang melawan Belgia, kiper AS Tim Howard tampil luar biasa dan berkali-kali menyelamatkan gawangnya dari gempuran Origi, Kompany, Eden Hazard, Mirallas, dan terakhir Lukaku.
Dalam babak pertama waktu normal saja, Howard sedikitnya telah mematahkan lima tembakan para pemain Belgia ke gawang Amerika Serikat.
Sementara kiper Belgia Courtois juga dua kali menghadang tendangan Dempsey pada menit 21 dan 74.
Dengan kemenangan 2-1 atas Amerika Serikat, Belgia di perempat final akan menantang Argentina yang dalam laga sebelumnya mengalahkan Swiss 1-0.
Salvador - Extra time goals from Kevin de Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku sent Belgium into the World Cup quarter-finals for first time in 28 years with a 2-1 win over the United States on Tuesday.
American keeper Tim Howard had made a string of fine saves to keep Marc Wilmots´ men at bay during the 90 minutes in Salvador.
However, he was finally beaten by De Bruyne´s angled drive after good work from substitute Lukaku and De Bruyne then returned the favour to allow Lukaku to slam past his Everton teammate Howard.
The States got back in the game two minutes into the second-half of extra time when substitute Julian Green volleyed home and only a fine save from Thibaut Courtois prevented Clint Dempsey from taking the game to penalties moments later.
But Belgium held on to set up a rematch of their 1986 semi-final defeat to Argentina in Brasilia on Saturday.
USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann described Howard´s performance as "phenomenal".
"He had an absolutely amazing match, you can give him the biggest compliments in the world. He kept us in the game over the 120 minutes."
Lille´s 19-year-old striker Divock Origi had been brought into the side at Lukaku´s expense after impressing as a substitute in all three of Belgium?s Group H wins and he was denied within the opening minute by Howard´s outstretched leg after racing onto Kevin de Bruyne´s through ball.
Belgium´s pace on the counter-attack was a constant threat throughout the match and they should have gone in front when Jan Vertonghen fed De Bruyne, but having cut inside to open up the goal he slotted wide at the near post.
Jurgen Klinsmann´s men were then dealt a blow as one of their standout performers in the group stages, Fabian Johnson, limped off with a hamstring injury to be replaced by DeAndre Yedlin.
However, Yedlin nearly made an instant impact as he burst forward on the right and pulled the ball back for the unmarked Graham Zusi who shanked his shot horribly off target.
Belgium started strongly again in the second-half with the ever dangerous Vertonghen producing another fine cross from the left that both De Bruyne and Origi failed to turn home.
