STUTTGART, Germany: Kevin De Bruyne refused to comment on the angry reaction of Belgium fans after Wednesday’s 0-0 draw with Ukraine at Euro 2024, insisting that “we need them” ahead of a last-16 match with France.
Belgium missed the chance to finish top of Group E after having to settle for a point in Stuttgart, with De Bruyne seemingly instructing his team-mates not to head over to applaud the supporters after the game.
The Manchester City playmaker was making his way toward the Belgium fans behind the goal before appearing to change his mind as the whistling and booing intensified.
“We need these fans, we need them against France,” said De Bruyne.
“We just need them. I don’t know what else to say.
“We gave it our all during the three matches, everybody wanted to win the matches. We tried to do this but we didn’t manage to do so,” he added.
Knowing a point was enough to send them through, albeit as runners-up behind Romania, Belgium adopted a safety-first approach in the closing minutes, fearful of a Ukraine goal that would have knocked them out.
“I think until the 90th minute we tried to find solutions... afterwards I think Ukraine had a good chance, maybe two,” said De Bruyne.
“When it’s one minute from the end of the match you can’t take a risk. I understand people want us to win, but if I take the corner and they go down the other end and score people are going to kill me.”
De Bruyne stays tight-lipped on Belgium fan fury
https://arab.news/bmr4c
De Bruyne stays tight-lipped on Belgium fan fury
- Belgium missed the chance to finish top of Group E after having to settle for a point in Stuttgart
- “We need these fans, we need them against France,” said De Bruyne
Sudan beat Equatorial Guinea for rare AFCON win
- Unlucky Torino center-back Coco saw the ball come off him and ricochet into the net in the 74th minute
CASABLANCA: Sudan boosted their chances of qualifying for the knockout stage of the Africa Cup of Nations after a Saul Coco own goal gave them a 1-0 win over Equatorial Guinea on Sunday.
Unlucky Torino center-back Coco saw the ball come off him and ricochet into the net in the 74th minute in Casablanca when his teammate Luis Asue attempted to clear a Sudan free-kick.
Sudan won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1970 but this is just their second victory in 18 matches across six appearances at the tournament since then.
They lie 117th in the FIFA world rankings, compared to Equatorial Guinea in 97th.
The win leaves Kwesi Appiah’s team on three points from two games in Group E, while Equatorial Guinea have lost both matches so far.
Sudan are competing at this AFCON in Morocco despite the country having been devastated since war broke out between the army and rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023.
They will play Burkina Faso in their last group game on Wednesday and will be aiming to reach the knockout stages of the Cup of Nations for just the second time since that 1970 triumph — they got to the quarter-finals in 2012 before losing to eventual winners Zambia.
