Belgium beats US 4-1 to reach World Cup quarterfinals, taking advantage of defensive lapses

 

SEATTLE (AP) — The United States' dream of making a deep run at the FIFA World Cup on home soil came to an end Monday night after Belgium produced a commanding 4-1 victory, powered by an outstanding performance from Charles De Ketelaere, who scored twice and set up another goal.

Despite the return of star striker Folarin Balogun, whose one-match suspension was overturned before kickoff, the U.S. struggled defensively throughout the match. Defensive mistakes contributed to two first-half goals, while a costly error from goalkeeper Matt Freese early in the second half allowed Belgium to extend its advantage.

Romelu Lukaku sealed the victory deep into stoppage time after capitalizing on a misplaced pass from Chris Richards, putting the finishing touch on an impressive Belgian performance.

"It was clear from the opening minutes that we never found our rhythm," U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino said after the match. Frustrated by Belgium's second goal, he kicked a rack of water bottles near the technical area. "This is part of the learning process. We have to carefully analyze what happened and understand why we couldn't perform with the same intensity and confidence we showed in our previous World Cup matches."

Belgium, still chasing its first-ever FIFA World Cup title, eliminated the United States from the Round of 16 once again and stretched its unbeaten run to 18 matches. The Red Devils will now face Spain on Friday in Inglewood, California, with a place in the semifinals on the line against either France or Morocco.