Bengaluru, June 20: Finland and Belgium will lock horns against each other on Monday at the Saint Petersburg Stadium in the city of St Petersburg in Russia in a game that looks like a complete mismatch on paper.
Belgium are currently the top ranked country in the FIFA rankings whereas Finland are 55th, the second lowest among all teams participating in the Euros. However, Markku Kanerva's side should be proud of themselves for having a decent enough European Championship campaign so far and they are currently in a position from where they can still qualify for the knockout stage.
Belgium started their Euro campaign on a flying note with a 3-0 demolition of Russia but had to dig deep for a comeback victory against Denmark as the game ended 2-1. Meanwhile, Finland defeated their neighbours Denmark on the opening day but were beaten by Russia 1-0 in the next game. With the second spot of the group still up for grabs, Finland will be high on morale when they line up against mighty Belgium.
Finland vs Belgium Head-to-head record
Quite interestingly, it is Finland who have a historical advantage over Belgium in terms of previous meetings. The two nations have collided for a total of 11 times and the Finnish army won in four games. Meanwhile, the Red Devils have picked up three wins, while four games have ended all square.
Key players to watch in Finland vs Belgium
Finland - Glen Kamara
Rangers midfielder has been brilliant for Finland so far in the Euros and should give the Belgium midfield plenty of problems if he is on song.
Belgium - Kevin De Bruyne
After coming off the bench against Denmark in the last game, Kevin De Bruyne showed why he is one of the best players in the world as he single-handedly inspired the Red Devils to make a comeback. The Manchester City superstar is likely to start the game along with Eden Hazard and Axel Witsel as Roberto Martinez looks to build the fitness levels of his star footballers.
Finland vs Belgium probable line-ups
Finland: Lukas Hradecky; Jukka Raital, Daniel O'Shaughnessy, Paulus Arajuuri, Jeona Toivio, Jere Uronen; Glen Kamara, Robin Lod, Leo Vaisanen; Joel Pohjanpalo, Teemu Pukki
Belgium: Thibaut Courtois; Toby Alderweireld, Leander Dendoncker, Jan Vertonghen; Thomas Meunier, Kevin De Bruyne, Axel Witsel, Thorgan Hazard; Dries Mertens, Romelu Lukaku, Eden Hazard
My Dream11 team
Goalkeeper - Lukas Hradecky
Defenders - Toby Alderweireld, Thomas Meunier, Daniel O'Shaughnessy, Jeona Toivio
Midfielders - Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Robin Lod
Forwards - Joel Pohjanpalo, Romelu Lukaku, Teemu Pukki
Best Choice For Captain And Vice-Captain
Kevin De Bruyne and Thomas Meunier
Kick off time in India and how to watch
Date: June 22 (Tuesday), 2021
Time: 00:30 AM IST
TV Channels: Sony Ten 2SD and Sony TEN 2HD
Live Streaming: SonyLIV and Jio TV