Canada put up a dominant performance in its first World Cup Finals match in 36 years, but were unable to get a win against Belgium.
The 41st-ranked Canadians looked anything but awed at the occasion, repeatedly forcing the second-ranked Belgians onto the back foot.
Michy Batshuayi scored the game’s opening goal in the 44th minute, taking a perfectly-placed long-range pass from Toby Alderweireld and depositing it past Canada’s Milan Borjan.
Canada had a glorious chance to score its first-ever World Cup goal and take the lead in the 10th minute, only to see Thibaut Courtois, the Inspector Gadget-like Belgian goalkeeper, stop Alphonso Davies’ penalty attempt after Yannick Carrasco was yellow-carded for handball.
The pace and press of the Canadians caused the Belgians real discomfort in a first half that saw the Canadians launch 14 shots — the most without scoring in the first half of a World Cup match since England (17) against Trinidad and Tobago in 2006, according to sports analytics company Opta.
