DOHA, Dec  1, 2022 (BSS/AFP) - Romelu Lukaku missed a string of late
chances as Belgium crashed out of the World Cup in the group stage after a 0-0
draw with Croatia on Thursday which sent the 2018 runners-up into the knockout
phase.

  Croatia had a penalty award controversially cancelled by VAR early in a
largely uneventful first half.

  The introduction of Lukaku at the interval changed the game, but he was
guilty of three dreadful misses as Zlatko Dalic's side rode their luck to hold
on.

  Croatia progressed as runners-up in Group F behind winners Morocco who beat
Canada 2-1 to also qualify for the last 16.

  Belgium, the world's second-ranked side, saw their run of reaching at least
the quarter-finals at four straight major tournaments come to an abrupt end.

  Roberto Martinez's men managed just one goal in the tournament in a
fortunate opening 1-0 win over Canada.

  Martinez dropped captain Eden Hazard to the bench as one of four changes
which also saw Leandro Trossard and Dries Mertens start for the first time in
Qatar.

  The build-up to the match had been dominated by rumours of an altercation
between senior Belgian players, involving Eden Hazard, which Martinez described
as "fake news".

  Croatia almost took the lead inside the first 10 seconds, as the ball was
played forward to Ivan Perisic after kick-off and the Tottenham man cut inside
and drilled a shot just wide of the far post.

  The likelihood of Belgium needing to win was increased when Morocco scored
an early goal across Doha. Yannick Carrasco had a chance to open the scoring
but his shot was blocked.
       
       - Penalty overturned -
    
       
  Mertens curled over after a trademark Kevin De Bruyne run and pass, before
Croatia were awarded a penalty seconds later when Carrasco tripped Andrej
Kramaric in the box.

 But the decision was overturned following a lengthy VAR check which decided
that a tiny fraction of Dejan Lovren's shoulder was offside.

 Desperate for a goal after a first half in which neither side mustered a
shot on target, Martinez sent on Lukaku, Belgium's record scorer, for Mertens
at half-time.

 They immediately carried more threat, with Lukaku, who struggled with
injury in the build-up to the tournament, heading straight at Croatia
goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic.

 Thibaut Courtois was then called into action for the first time, stretching
to tip over Mateo Kovacic's curling effort as the game opened up.

 That also suited the Croatian attackers though and Courtois had to twice
get down to keep out low shots from Marcelo Brozovic and Luka Modric.

  Belgium should have taken the lead on the hour mark.

  Carrasco almost bundled the ball in but was denied by Livakovic, before
Lukaku contrived to hit the post with the goal gaping on the rebound.

 Lukaku was guilty of an even worse miss two minutes later, heading over an
empty net from six yards out, although replays suggested the ball may have been
out of play when De Bruyne crossed it in.

  Martinez also threw on Thorgan Hazard, Youri Tielemans and Jeremy Doku as
Belgium searched for that all important goal.

 Lukaku saw another chance come and go in the 87th minute, deflecting the
ball wide from Thomas Meunier's volley.

 The striker, on loan at Inter Milan from Chelsea, still had another golden
opportunity to be the hero, but he opted to chest the ball towards the open net
from three yards out and directed it into the arms of Livakovic.