Jérémy Doku has returned to the United States and is expected to start Belgium’s final group match against New Zealand on Friday, giving them a needed lift before a game they must win to be certain of avoiding a second straight World Cup group-stage exit.
The 24-year-old missed the 0-0 draw with Iran on Sunday afternoon, a result that left Belgium with two draws from two games and no margin left for error. The Royal Belgian Football Association said his absence was due to illness, but Doku had also gone back to England for the birth of his first child, a son named Praise, before coming back for the decisive match in British Columbia.
Belgium have not found a way through yet. They failed to beat Egypt in Seattle before the goalless draw with Iran in LA, and now the final group game against New Zealand at BC Place carries the weight of a knockout tie. Doku’s return matters because he remains one of the few players in the squad who can change a game by himself, with the dribbling and carrying that have made him vital to Belgium’s attacking plan.
There is still a question over how much he can give in a full start after the trip away and the break that followed. Leandro Trossard is expected to play on the right wing, Alexis Saelemaekers is expected to drop to the bench, and the balance of the side may shift again as Belgium look for a first win. Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku are described as past their prime, which only raises the pressure on Doku to provide the spark Belgium have lacked.
For Belgium, the equation is simple now: beat New Zealand or risk another early exit. Doku is back in place for the match that will decide whether they stay in the tournament, and Lukaku’s side no longer has room to hide behind the draws.
