Belgium showed both its beauty and its flaws in the 3-2 comeback win over Japan on Monday, and Roberto Martinez is just fine with that.
After a scoreless first half, goals from Genki Haraguchi and Takashi Inui had put the Samurai Blue 2-0 up after seven minutes of the second period. However, headers from Jan Vertonghen and substitute Marouane Fellaini levelled things before another replacement, Nacer Chadli, rounded off a breathtaking counter-attack to win it with the last kick of the game.
"We showed a great winning mentality - it's not about being perfect, but winning," Martinez said after the game, per ESPN.
"You had to see the reaction from the subs coming on. Everyone wanted to get back in the game and win the game: 3-2 in a World Cup after 90 minutes. That tells you everything about this group of players.
"No negative things today. It was all about getting through. We did that. I'm very proud of the players. This is for everyone in Belgium - keep believing in them."
Belgium was teetering on the brink of a last-16 exit that would have been a huge disappointment for the country, given its talent and the early exits of leading World Cup contenders such as Germany, Argentina, and Spain.
However, Martinez's substitutions came good when he needed them most, and it's fair to say the Spaniard would take another by-any-means-necessary victory in the quarter-final matchup with Brazil, set for Friday.
