SEATTLE — The U.S. men’s national team came into Monday night’s round-of-16 matchup against Belgium with the chance to further galvanize a nation around their World Cup run and to get to a World Cup quarterfinal for the first time since 2002.
Instead, the cohosts’ World Cup is over, and definitively at that. Despite playing with forward Folarin Balogun — who became the center of a controversy when he was given a reprieve by FIFA from his red-card suspension, with President Donald J. Trump weighing in — the U.S. saw its dreamy run end in a 4-1 loss to Belgium at Lumen Field.
The Americans played sloppy and ugly soccer in the first half, and Belgium overwhelmed the home side. Charles De Ketelaere scored twice, first capitalizing on a mistake in the back in the ninth minute when the U.S. allowed a ball to bounce in their box, then struck again less than two minutes after Malik Tillman’s 31st-minute free-kick equalizer. This time, the 25-year-old outjumped and bullied veteran center back Tim Ream to head in a cross from Leandro Trossard.
The outcome was sealed midway through the second half when goalkeeper Matt Freese made a massive mistake, coming out to win the ball outside of his box, but then giving it away horribly for an easy empty-net finish from Hans Vanaken in the 57th minute. Romelu Lukaku, who scored in extra time against the U.S. in this round 12 years ago, capped it with a stoppage-time finish off the bench.
It was an embarrassing stamp on a massively disappointing night for the U.S., which bows out in the round of 16 for the second consecutive World Cup. Belgium, meanwhile, advances to Friday’s quarterfinal vs. Spain at SoFi Stadium.
Our writers break down the key talking points and moments from a night that started with hope and ended in dismay.