Amadou Onana looked and sounded a little awkward in his post-match interview, speaking to RTL following Belgium’s unconvincing 1-0 victory over an ebullient Canada side at the Qatar World Cup.
John Herdman’s underdogs, the Everton enforcer admits, were unfortunate to have found themselves on the wrong end of a one-goal defeat, having mustered 22 shots to Belgium’s nine and seeing an Alphonso Davies penalty saved by Thibaut Courtois, all the while running rings about a Rote Duivels side who looked ready for the retirement home.
Onana knows Belgium were lucky. He had no qualms admitting it either.
“They can be frustrated,” the former Lille ace says, not without justification. “Given the opportunities they had, a draw or a victory would not have been undeserved.”
Onana, it must be said, is one of the biggest reasons why Canada did not follow in the footsteps of Japan and Saudi Arabia; missing the chance to put forward their own candidate for ‘shock of the tournament’.
Introduced for just his third cap as a desperate and dizzied Roberto Martinez rang the changes at half-time; the 21-year-old brought some much-needed energy and enthusiasm to proceedings, lowering the average age of a Belgium side containing at least three who may soon be unwrapping a shiny new Zimmer frame on Christmas morning.
Everton’s Amadou Onana played a major role as Belgium beat Canada
In just 45 minutes on the pitch, Onana completed three tackles. More than every else in Belgium red bar one. All the while using every inch of his 6ft 5ins frame to disrupt Canada’s free-flowing attacks (WhoScored). He also completed 90 per cent of his passes.
It is no coincidence that, with Onana covering the right-hand side, the previously effervescent Davies no longer had quite the same impact.
“I have a lot of respect for this Canadian team,” adds Martinez, who, if rumours are true, could soon be joining Onana at Goodison Park. “I want to note the impact of the substitutes; Amadou Onana and Thomas Meunier.
“They brought more physically. We adapted to the match, and we found a way to win.”
Expect to see Onana feature from the very first whistle next time out, Belgium taking on Morocco on Sunday afternoon. After all, he most certainly deserves to. If there is one Belgian player who came out of a torturous evening with his reputation enhanced, it was him.
“Amadou Onana made a strong impression after coming into the game. He can project itself over several tens of metres,” former Jupiler League ace Clement Tainmont tells RTBF.
“I think Onana will start in the next match.”
“(Martienz) coach reacted well. We needed his athletic side, his impact, forward running,” agrees reporter Pascal Scime. “This is what we lacked in the first half.”
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