Belgium have been forced into a last-minute team change ahead of their World Cup quarter-final against Spain after Youri Tielemans was ruled out of the starting XI due to injury.
Red Devils captain Tielemans was set to start alongside Nicolas Raskin in the middle of the park but was replaced by Club Brugge midfielder Hans Vanaken just 12 minutes before kick-off.
Belgium confirmed on their social media: “Following an injury during the warm-up, Youri Tielemans is replaced in the starting XI by Hans Vanaken.”
The specific nature of the injury has not been confirmed but it has been reported that Tielemans has picked up a hamstring issue.
Tielemans has been integral in Belgium reaching the World Cup’s last-eight, with his clutch performance against Senegal in the round of 32 saving his country from elimination.
After Romelu Lukaku halved Senegal’s two-goal advantage in the 86th minute, Tielemans came up with an equaliser a minute from time. He then slotted home a last-gasp penalty in the fifth minute of extra-time stoppages, breaking Senegalese hearts and setting up a last-16 tie against co-hosts USA.
Tielemans played the full match in Seattle as Belgium overcame pre-match controversy surrounding Folarin Balogun’s ban being suspended, dominating the USA to a 4-1 victory.
Vanaken, meanwhile, came off the bench in that clash and was the beneficiary of a clown show at the back by the Americans, with goalkeeper Matt Freese dispossessed before the 33-year-old fired into an open net from range.
He later got an assist to set up Lukaku’s 93rd-minute goal, adding salt to the US wounds.
Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku were left out of the USA tie but returned to the line-up to face Spain, who reached the quarter-finals by beating Portugal.
The winner of the clash in Los Angeles will face France after Didier Deschamps’ side beat Morocco on Thursday.
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