Belgium takes bronze with 2-0 win over England

The World Cup is down to one game. Catherine Ivill/Getty Images

The third place match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup took place on Saturday. Belgium and England, the two teams who advanced out of Group G, faced off for the bronze medal.

Belgium 2-0 England

Saint Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg
Attendance: 64,406

After feeling out of the game in the opening minutes, Belgium connected on a counter attack to take the lead just four minutes in. Thomas Meunier was the goalscorer that gave Belgium leverage. England generated opportunities to get back in the match but their struggle was to get quality shots on target. Maguire did not get enough power to his header on a corner in the 20th minute while Kane was less than clinical on a 23rd minute opportunity. Belgium and England were about even on first half opportunities, with the goal being the difference.

England’s better opportunities in the second half came through the air but would struggle to find the target. The Three Lions were the more proactive side, understandably so given the deficit. In the end, quality was the answer and Eden Hazard iced the match with Belgium’s second goal in the 82nd minute.

Belgium records highest World Cup finish

After missing out on the final, this is a positive for Belgium. It’s a consolation prize for a talented side that feels they could have had a better finish to this tournament. Even so, the history books will show that this was the most successful side at a FIFA World Cup. It will be interesting to see if Vincent Kompany calls it a career with the national team - what would be the international retirement of a legend. The next focus for this team will be the European Championship in two years.

England finishes fourth, matching their counterparts at Italy 1990

England would have liked to have taken third place but it really would not have made a difference. What this English side did do, however, is regain confidence in the national side. Hopes of a World Cup would not be so farfetched now - if approached correctly. This young side will gain experience and Euro 2020 will be a great test to see their growth ahead of the next World Cup, Qatar 2022.

Notable stat: Thomas Meunier is Belgium’s 10th different goalscorer, matching the record for number of scorers by a single team in a single edition of the tournament.

Programming notes:

Soccer Matters with Glenn Davis will be broadcasting from The Gorgeous Gael (5555 Morningside Dr. Houston, TX 77005) with a two-hour LIVE show, airing on ESPN 97.5 FM, following the 2018 FIFA World Cup final.

2018 FIFA World Cup Final (All Times CT):

Sunday, July 15

10 a.m. - France vs. Croatia (FOX, Telemundo)

Texas hosts Clemson on Dec. 21. Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.

No. 4 Texas will be competing for a return trip to Atlanta when it plays at home against No. 13 Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

The winner of the Clemson-Texas first-round game on Dec. 21 will play No. 10 Arizona State in the Jan. 1 Peach Bowl in Atlanta in the CFP quarterfinals.

For Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, who is from Austin, Texas, the game will be a homecoming.

“We recruited him hard," Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Sunday, calling Klubnik “a winner. He will do whatever it takes to put his team in position to be successful.”

Added Sarkisian: “When he made the decision to go to Clemson, honestly I wasn’t surprised. Both his parents went to (Texas) A&M.”

Klubnik applauded the announcement of the game at Texas for Clemson's seventh CFP appearance.

“For him to be going to his first playoff in Austin, Texas, where he grew up, you can’t make that up,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “Pretty cool opportunity for him and his family to go compete against Texas there in Austin.”

Swinney said his only visit to the Texas stadium was to watch Klubnik play in a high school playoff game.

“We’ve never played Texas or played in that stadium,” Swinney said. “... It’s going to be amazing. It’s one of the best venues in college football.”

The Longhorns (11-2) were seeded No. 5 in the CFP following their 22-19 overtime loss to Georgia on Saturday night in the Southeastern Conference championship game in Atlanta.

Sarkisian said his players were “really excited” to see Texas land the No. 5 seed and have the opportunity to play in the Longhorns' first game against Clemson.

Texas safety Andrew Mukuba is a Clemson transfer. Sarkisian said players already were calling the matchup the “Mukuba Bowl.”

Swinney said: “I love Mukuba. I just love his spirit and love his heart. He was a really neat kid.

“I certainly wish he had been able to finish here. He did everything that was asked of him at Clemson. Made a bunch of big plays.”

Clemson (10-3) beat SMU 34-31 in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game Saturday night to land an automatic CFP berth. The Tigers are ranked No. 16 in the CFP but were given the 12th and lowest seed. As the fifth-highest ranked league champion, the Tigers do not get a bye and instead must visit Texas.

Arizona State (11-2) earned a bye by rolling over Iowa State 45-19 in the Big 12 championship game Saturday. The Sun Devils were led by running back Cam Skattebo's 170 rushing yards in their impressive win to cap their first season in the Big 12.

Peach Bowl president Gary Stokan noted the Sun Devils were picked to finish last in the Big 12.

“You proved them all wrong,” Stokan told Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham.

Arizona State players celebrated the announcement of their No. 4 seed.

Dillingham said he hopes the conference championship and berth in the CFP helps him recruit and continue to build the program.

“Hopefully this stage will help get our branding out there, and show people that we can be one of the newer brands in college football," Dillingham said. "Every 10-15 years a new brand shows up, and a new brand becomes a national brand.”No. 4 Texas will be competing for a return trip to Atlanta when it plays at home against No. 13 Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoff.