World Cup: Belgium Eliminate U.S. with Dominant 4-1 Victory
In the day or so leading up to the U.S.-vs.-Belgium game in the round of 16, a worldwide debate was underway about FIFA’s allowing Folarin Balogun to play for the U.S., even though he was shown a red card in his last match. In the end, no one, not even Balogun, could help the U.S. advance in the World Cup.
Belgium scored its first goal less than 10 minutes into the game in Seattle and kept attacking the U.S. end and goalkeeper Matt Freese until it had scored three times more. Belgium defeated the U.S. 4-1 to advance to the quarterfinals, where it will face Spain on Friday.
For the U.S., its World Cup once again ends in the round of 16, a disappointing end to a tournament that started with such promise. The Americans haven’t made the quarterfinals since 2002.
“From the beginning, we didn’t connect with the game,” Mauricio Pochettino, the U.S. coach, said on the Fox telecast.
The U.S. really had only one bright spot on the day. With the U.S. down 1-0, midway through the first half, Balogun drew a foul just outside the box. Malik Tillman stepped up and coolly scored on the free kick, his shot deflecting into the net off a Belgian player who was jumping as part of a wall. Tillman had scored on a free kick in the round of 32, as well.
The Americans had finally shown some life, but Belgium responded about two minutes later, as Charles De Ketelaere scored on a header on a cross into the box.
In the second half, things only got worse for the Americans. In the 57th minute, Freese made a critical error. He came way out of the goal to play a ball, only to lose possession and allow Belgium’s Hans Vanaken to score. Shortly after, the Americans’ leader, Christian Pulisic, was subbed out of the game with an apparent injury.
In stoppage time, Romelu Lukaku tacked on the final goal to seal the Americans’ fate.
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