Football
-Gaurav Sharma
The United States’ World Cup run ended in painful fashion as Belgium exposed familiar defensive flaws in a 4-1 win that sent the co-hosts out of the tournament and into a summer of difficult questions. A campaign that had built momentum and belief came apart against a Belgian side that punished almost every major American mistake.
Charles De Ketelaere scored twice in the first half, Hans Vanaken added a third after another defensive lapse, and Romelu Lukaku completed the rout in stoppage time. Malik Tillman briefly pulled the USA level with a first-half free kick, but Belgium replied almost immediately and never allowed the match to return to American control.
The USA’s World Cup campaign ended with a 4-1 defeat to Belgium, driven by defensive vulnerabilities that allowed Charles De Ketelaere (2), Hans Vanaken, and Romelu Lukaku to score, despite Malik Tillman’s earlier goal for the Americans.
The result sends Belgium into the quarterfinals against Spain, who had earlier beaten Portugal. For the USA, the defeat ended a tournament that had carried unusual pressure, given the World Cup was being played on home soil and the team had raised expectations with earlier performances.
USA World Cup exit shaped by defensive errors
The USA did not lose because of one bad moment. Belgium repeatedly found space behind the American back line and looked sharper when second balls, long passes and transitional situations mattered. De Ketelaere’s two goals reflected both Belgian movement and uncertain defending from a side that had already shown vulnerability before the knockout rounds.
Tillman’s equaliser gave the home crowd hope and briefly shifted the mood. Yet the response was short-lived. Belgium regained the lead just a minute later through De Ketelaere, draining much of the energy from the American comeback. That sequence became the defining passage of the match, as the USA’s momentum disappeared almost as soon as it arrived.
The third goal underlined the problem. Goalkeeper Matt Freese came out to deal with a ball outside the penalty area, but the clearance did not solve the danger. De Ketelaere won possession and found Vanaken, who finished from distance into an exposed net. By then, Belgium had control of both the scoreline and the tempo.
Mauricio Pochettino tried to change the rhythm after half-time, introducing Gio Reyna for Sergiño Dest and later sending on Ricardo Pepi as the USA chased the game. The Americans had spells of possession, but Belgium’s defensive structure stayed compact. The hosts moved the ball without consistently creating the sort of clear chances needed to threaten a comeback.
Balogun cleared to play, but controversy followed
Folarin Balogun started for the USA after FIFA cleared him to play despite a red card in the Round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1. The decision became one of the major talking points before kick-off, especially after President Donald Trump said he had personally asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review the matter.
The intervention drew attention because disciplinary decisions in major tournaments are expected to remain within football’s established regulatory process. FIFA’s clearance allowed Balogun to take the field, but it also placed the striker and the match under an added layer of scrutiny before a ball had been kicked.
Balogun did have one of the USA’s better second-half openings. He controlled a long pass and created a one-on-one chance against Thibaut Courtois, striking with his left foot. Courtois made the save, denying the USA a route back into the match when they badly needed one.
Christian Pulisic endured a frustrating night and was substituted in the second half after appearing to suffer an injury. He had struggled to influence the game from the left side and was visibly emotional after coming off. His tournament had already been disrupted by fitness issues, and he leaves without a goal in this campaign.
Belgium rediscover form at the right time
Belgium’s performance carried extra significance because this is no longer the side defined by its golden generation. Many of the names that shaped the country’s runs in 2014, 2018 and recent European Championships are gone. Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne remain, but the team is now trying to rebuild around a different core.
Their tournament had begun unevenly, with draws against Egypt and Iran raising questions about whether Belgium still had enough energy and quality to challenge elite opponents. A 5-1 win over New Zealand changed the mood, before a dramatic comeback against Senegal showed resilience under pressure.
Against the USA, Belgium looked far more assured. De Bruyne did not need to play, while Lukaku and Jérémy Doku entered only after Belgium had established a two-goal cushion. Lukaku’s late finish still added a clinical final touch and reinforced the sense that Belgium are growing into the tournament.
The quarterfinal against Spain will offer a clearer measure of Belgium’s ceiling. Spain’s win over Portugal also ended Cristiano Ronaldo’s latest World Cup campaign, adding another major storyline to a knockout stage already heavy with transition, ageing stars and emerging teams.
For the USA, the post-match scenes at Lumen Field told their own story. Players gathered solemnly on the pitch after a defeat that contrasted sharply with the celebration that followed earlier wins. The tournament brought moments of progress, but Belgium showed the gap that remains when the USA face a disciplined, technically strong opponent able to punish mistakes.
