Nottingham Forest midfielder Orel Mangala played 90 minutes in Belgium’s 5-0 win against Estonia, with the 25-year-old receiving high praise from the Belgian media.
Mangala registered an assist for Romelu Lukaku, after playing a perfectly weighted ball into the path of the striker who held off his man before finishing expertly.
According to FotMob, the Reds midfielder completed 44 of his 47 passes attempted, a completion rate of 97% – alongside making six ball-winning recoveries.
With Amadou Onana sitting deep, it gave Mangala the chance to get forward more, with the Forest man making seven key passes into the final third.
Belgian media impressed with Orel Mangala
Belgian outlet HLN conducted player ratings after the Red Devils’ convincing victory, with Mangala receiving a very respectable rating.
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They gave the Reds midfielder a 7/10, stating ‘He made a couple of good turns. Infiltrated a few times very well and was menacing. Has shown that he has his place. Satisfactory performance’.
It may only be against lowly-ranked Estonia, but his performance gives Forest fans a reason to be positive.
The display showcases what the 25-year-old is capable of when having a recognised anchor behind him, giving him more freedom to become a box-to-box midfielder.
His delightful through ball to Lukaku is evidence of his passing ability, which we haven’t seen on a consistent basis at the City Ground due to Mangala operating in a deeper role.
However, the arrival of Ibrahim Sangare could free up Mangala to provide performances as seen for Belgium last night.