SEATTLE – The USMNT saw their run at the 2026 World Cup end in miserable fashion in Seattle as Belgium ran roughshod over them to the tune of a 4-1 victory on the back of four remarkably soft goals. The Red Devils got a brace from Charles De Ketelaere (9’, 33’), a 57th minute empty-net finish from distance for Hans Vanaken and a late dagger from Romelu Lukaku in the 3rd minute of stoppage time to outweigh a 31st minute free kick from Malik Tillman that had the U.S. briefly in the game.
Belgium had the U.S. on their heels early, forcing Matt Freese into a quality diving save in the first minute of the match. Fulham fullback Timothy Castagne called his own number from outside the area, but Freese was able to push the shot just wide of the post. Belgium didn’t let up the pressure after going so close, and in the 9th minute a series of errors allowed De Ketelaere to score one of the easiest goals of his career. Alex Freeman initially did well to block a cross from Leandro Trossard after the winger received the ball out on the U.S.’s right side, but Freeman’s attempt to head the ball away following his block failed to clear the box. While all of Sergiño Dest, Weston McKennie and Chris Richards had the opportunity to win the loose ball, each of them hesitated as Nicolas Raskin closed it down, allowing him to win the ball and carry it farther into the box before centering it for De Ketelaere to tap home. Easily five U.S. players could have made a play on the ball at any point in the sequence, but for one reason or another no one was willing to take the risk and instead allowed Belgium to breeze into the lead.
In a bit of foreshadowing of the trouble that was to come for the USMNT, Richards nearly coughed the ball up under pressure from De Ketelaere in the 22nd minute, but was able to regain possession and reach the hydration break just trailing by the single goal. The U.S. seemed to regroup during the break, and came out much more composed and in control. That shift eventually led to a free kick in the 31st minute from about 25 yards out in the center of the pitch after Folarin Balogun won a foul, and Tillman stepped up and hit a shot that was deflected off of a player in the wall, sending it the opposite direction that Laurent Courtois was expecting and into the back of the net to level the score.
That even scoreline didn’t last long, though. Just two minutes after Tillman’s goal Youri Tielemans swung a ball out to Trossard, who beat Dest and Richards to the end line before sending in a cross for De Ketelaere, who out-jumped Tim Ream to head his side back into the lead in the 33rd minute. Both sides had golden opportunities to grab another goal late in the half, with Dodi Lukébakio putting an open header wide in the 43rd minute and Balogun smashing a shot over the bar in the 45th. Despite the chances, the 2-1 scoreline held as time ran out on the first half.
The U.S. swapped Dest for Gio Reyna to start the second half, which improved some elements of the team’s performance but not in a way that made them any more likely to get the result that they needed. In the 57th minute Freese came way out of his box in a race with De Ketelaere to get to a ball over the top, which he won. The trouble came after he won it, when he appeared to kick into the ground as he tried to swing his foot to pass the ball to one of his defenders. The ball ended up falling to Belgian substitute Vanaken, who had a hit from way downtown with Freese out of his area. The ball ran right by a scrambling Ream and into the back of the net to make it 3-1 for Belgium.
Sebastian Berhalter came on around the hour mark for Christian Pulisic, and the sub briefly breathed some life back into the U.S. fans with a shot from about 20 yards out that just whizzed past the far post in the 79th minute, but that was more of a death rattle than a reawakening for the Americans. Lukaku ultimately put the final shovelful of dirt on the U.S. grave in stoppage time. Freeman got caught against the sideline in possession and lost the ball, then Richards attempted to rescue the situation but lost it in turn before Lukaku picked it up and curled a shot into the bottom corner of the far side of goal, making it 4-1 in the 3rd minute of 4 minutes of stoppage time.
A strong group stage showing and exciting win over Bosnia and Herzegovina came to a whimpering end for the U.S., as the tournament carries on with none of the host nations involved any longer. For Belgium, following on from a somewhat uninspiring start to the tournament they look like they’re picking up a head of steam. Although it looked like their run might end against Senegal in the previous round, they showed in that game that they can’t be counted out until the final whistle blows, and against the U.S. they simply had more than the opposition could handle. Belgium will now face their toughest test yet as they play Spain in Los Angeles in the quarterfinals, but they’ll enter that game with plenty of confidence.
Key performers
Charles De Ketelaere
Charles De Ketelaere absolutely made the most of the opportunities he got, regardless of how U.S. players may have contributed to those opportunities. A pair of goals and an assist – as he had a hand (or rather, a foot or a head) in each of the first three goals for Belgium – is a fantastic haul for the 25 year-old who hadn’t had a goal contribution in the tournament before this game. He also forced a save, putting each of his 3 shots on target, set up another two shots beyond his assist, had 6 progressive receptions, and recorded 11 defensive actions. He was active, and got his rewards.
Alexander Freeman
Alex Freeman is one of the few USMNT players who can leave this game with his head held high. It wasn’t a perfect game, but he led both teams with 13 defensive contributions, and in a game where no one in a U.S. shirt seemed like they could connect a pass he completed 50/61 with 10 progressive passes, 8 passes into the final third, 2 into the penalty area and 5/7 accurate long balls. Freeman won 8/11 ground duels, 2/3 aerial duels, and consistently looked like the most composed player for Mauricio Pochettino’s side despite his young age. No defender was great in a game where the team gives up 4 goals, but he was the best player for the USMNT.
Nicolas Raskin
Part of the reason that the U.S. had so much trouble controlling possession and playing through midfield was Nicolas Raskin, who partnered Amadou Onana and then Hans Vanaken in midfield for Belgium after Onana came out injured. Raskin got into 14 duels, although he only won 5/12 ground duels and 2/2 aerial duels, but his consistent physical presence left the U.S. midfield unable to get settled with the ball. He had a whopping 26 of his 49 touches in the final third, and 7 of those were in the penalty area, including his assist for the opening goal. He’s not the biggest star in this Belgium squad, but the result isn’t nearly so heavily in their favor without him.
