Folarin Balogun's red card reprieve appeared to hinder rather than help his country as an out-of-sorts USA side were thrashed 4-1 by Belgium to end the co-hosts' World Cup dreams. The PR circus following FIFA's decision to suspend his red card, including Donald Trump's involvement in the supposedly independent process, appeared to only galvanise the Americans' opponents and overwhelm themselves as Belgium left their hosts sleepless in Seattle to set up a quarter-final tie with Spain.
Match Recap: Belgium's Ruthless First Half
The Europeans were particularly dominant before half-time and could have been ahead inside a minute when Timothy Castagne forced Matt Freese into a full-stretch save, while the largely peripheral Folarin Balogun had just 11 touches in the opening period. Charles De Ketelaere opened the scoring in the 9th minute after hesitant defending allowed Nicolas Raskin to set him up for a tap-in. Malik Tillman briefly leveled with a deflected free-kick on 31 minutes, but Belgium responded just 116 seconds later when De Ketelaere nodded home his second from Leandro Trossard's cross. The USA showed none of their usual hallmarks of Pochettino verve and were unusually passive.
Defensive Disasters Cost USA
The second half brought fresh calamity. In the 57th minute, a 'total calamity' unfolded as Freese was caught in possession outside his area by De Ketelaere, with the loose ball falling to substitute Hans Vanaken. His long-range effort trickled past Tim Ream's clumsy attempted clearance to make it 3-1. Romelu Lukaku added a fourth in stoppage time after another defensive howler from Chris Richards, sealing a miserable night for the hosts.
“The USA's intensity and fast starts, often underpinned by the work of Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun in the final third and Weston McKennie's free role just behind, were nowhere to be seen against Belgium in Seattle.”
Balogun Controversy Backfires
The controversy surrounding Balogun's overturned red card – which featured a direct intervention from former U. S. President Donald Trump – created a media storm that seemed to affect the team more than it helped. Balogun managed only 19 touches all match, fewer than late substitute Jeremy Doku. With the weight of global scrutiny, the co-hosts crumbled under the pressure, unable to replicate the intensity that saw them past Bosnia-Herzegovina in the previous round.
What's Next for Belgium and USA?
Belgium will now face Spain in the quarter-finals, while the USA must reflect on a campaign that promised much but ended in a comprehensive defeat. Manager Mauricio Pochettino will face serious questions about his side's defensive frailty and inability to handle the occasion.
Key Takeaways
- USA's defensive errors – including a goalkeeping blunder from Matt Freese – gifted Belgium three of their four goals.
- Folarin Balogun, at the centre of a political storm over his red card reprieve, had minimal impact on the game.
- Belgium's clinical finishing, led by Charles De Ketelaere's brace, exposed the co-hosts' naivety.
- The controversy surrounding FIFA and Donald Trump appeared to unsettle the USA more than their opponents.
- Belgium advance to a quarter-final clash with Spain, while the USA exit in disappointing fashion.
Quick Facts
Final Score: USA 1-4 Belgium
Goalscorers: Tillman (31'); De Ketelaere (8', 33'), Vanaken (57'), Lukaku (90+3')
Balogun Touches (first half): 11
USA's First Knock-out Win Since 2002: vs Bosnia-Herzegovina in Last 32
Next Fixture: Belgium vs Spain (Quarter-final)