Balogun reprieve ends in anti-climax as Belgium dump USA out

The USA’s World Cup dreams ended in a 4-1 defeat to Belgium in Seattle, where a red card controversy became a sideshow to a defensive collapse that exposed the hosts’ lack of cohesion. The result, sealed by Charles De Ketelaere’s two first-half goals, Hans Vanaken’s strike midway through the second period, and Romelu Lukaku’s late strike, sends Belgium to a quarter-final against Spain while consigning the USA to an early exit.

Defensive frailties seal USA’s fate

From the opening whistle, Belgium’s attackers probed relentlessly, and the USA’s backline crumbled under pressure. Timothy Castagne forced Matt Freese into a full-stretch save inside the first minute, while De Ketelaere opened the scoring in the ninth minute after three American players hesitated to intercept Leandro Trossard’s bouncing cross, allowing Nicolas Raskin to slide the ball across for the Atalanta forward to tap home. The hosts responded with Malik Tillman’s deflected free-kick in the 31st minute—their only shot on target of the opening period—but any hope of momentum evaporated 116 seconds later when De Ketelaere nodded home Trossard’s hanging cross at the back post. By half-time, the USA had conceded twice, their midfield overwhelmed and their defence exposed by Belgium’s directness.

The defensive lapses were not isolated incidents but a pattern of hesitation and miscommunication. For the first goal, USA defenders froze as the ball bounced unpredictably in the box, leaving Raskin unmarked. For the second, a failure to track Trossard’s run into the channel allowed the Belgian winger to deliver a cross that De Ketelaere met with unchallenged ease. The Americans’ inability to adjust their defensive shape under pressure was the defining feature of their collapse.

Pochettino’s adjustments arrive too late

Javier Pochettino’s halftime adjustments failed to arrest the slide. The USA showed flashes of their usual energy in the second half, with Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah pressing higher up the pitch, but their structure remained disjointed. Freese’s error outside his area gifted substitute Vanaken a clear chance in the 57th minute, and though the hosts pushed for an equalizer, their attacks lacked penetration. Lukaku’s late goal, a tap-in from close range after a quick counter, underscored the gulf in quality and composure between the two sides.

The substitution of Gio Reyna for Musah in the 62nd minute offered a brief spark, with Reyna attempting to thread passes through Belgium’s midfield, but the Americans lacked the technical precision to sustain attacks. Meanwhile, Belgium’s midfield trio of Kevin De Bruyne, Amadou Onana, and Raskin controlled the tempo, recycling possession with ease and probing the USA’s disjointed press. The hosts’ inability to force turnovers in dangerous areas left them vulnerable to quick transitions, which Belgium exploited ruthlessly.

Balogun’s reprieve backfires

Folarin Balogun’s controversial red card suspension, overturned after a high-profile review, did little to shift the momentum. The Arsenal striker, peripheral with just 11 touches in the opening period, was unable to influence proceedings as Belgium’s frontline dictated play. The distraction of the disciplinary saga appeared to weigh on the USA’s collective focus, with their opponents seizing the initiative from the outset.

The match’s narrative shifted from the courtroom to the pitch, where Belgium’s ruthlessness exposed the USA’s defensive fragility. Balogun’s presence in the squad, rather than providing a focal point, seemed to add to the chaos. His lack of involvement in build-up play highlighted the USA’s over-reliance on individual moments of quality—like Tillman’s free-kick—which were insufficient against a team of Belgium’s calibre. The decision to overturn the red card, while legally justified, came at a critical moment, and the psychological impact on the USA was evident.

The USA’s World Cup campaign ends with a thud, not a whimper. Belgium, meanwhile, head to the quarter-finals with a swagger that suggests they are built for this stage. The contrast between the two teams could not have been sharper: one side’s flaws laid bare, the other’s strengths on full display. For the USA, the road to 2026 begins now, with a summer of introspection required to address the structural issues that derailed their tournament.