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Belgium faces New Zealand in the final group stage match of the World Cup in North America. The "Red Devils" need a victory to secure their spot in the knockout phase, a sentiment shared by their opponents.
The Belgians have been a disappointment in their first two matches, drawing with Egypt and Iran, and have only managed one goal, which came from an own goal. The team clearly has attacking issues, a problem that isn't new. They have failed to score in six of their last eight major tournament matches.
Rudi Garcia is likely to start Romelu Lukaku, despite him not being in optimal condition. Jérémy Doku will be available to assist the team after returning from England, where he briefly went for the birth of his first child. Garcia will need to rotate his defense as Nathan Ngoy is suspended after receiving a red card against Iran. His usual replacement, Zeno Debast, is dealing with health issues, potentially paving the way for Arthur Theate to start.
New Zealand has been far more effective in attack, scoring three goals, but they have significant defensive vulnerabilities. The team drew with Iran and lost to Egypt. Darren Bazeley is unlikely to make changes, having fielded the same starting XI in their first two matches. The "Kiwis" are still searching for their first World Cup victory, with this being their ninth attempt.
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