07/07/26 05:49:00
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07/07 05:48 CDT Belgium beats US 4-1 to reach World Cup quarterfinals, taking
advantage of defensive lapses
Belgium beats US 4-1 to reach World Cup quarterfinals, taking advantage of
defensive lapses
By RONALD BLUM
AP Sports Writer
SEATTLE (AP) --- Images told the story of the United States' World Cup downfall.
Christian Pulisic sprawled on the field in agony after hurting an ankle.
Matt Freese holding his hands on his head after his gaffe gifted a goal.
Chris Richards crumpling to the ground, his face pressed on the grass.
Mauricio Pochettino kicking a rack in front of the American bench, sending four
water bottles flying.
American hopes for a deep World Cup run at home ended when Charles De Ketelaere
scored twice and assisted on another goal, helping Belgium expose the U.S.
defensive liabilities in a 4-1 win Monday night that earned a quarterfinal
berth.
"It stinks," Tyler Adams said. "This was a moment to have an opportunity to
advance and really try and do something special. We fell short."
While the U.S. was boosted by the presence of star forward Folarin Balogun,
whose one-game red-card suspension was controversially lifted by FIFA, American
defenders were at fault in a pair of first-half goals and Freese's howler gave
the Red Devils a third early in the second half.
Second-half substitute Romelu Lukaku added Belgium's final goal in the third
minute of stoppage time after Richards' giveaway. The U.S. hadn't allowed that
many goals in a World Cup game since a 5-1 loss to Czechoslovakia in the
Americans' 1990 opener, when they returned to soccer's biggest stage after a
40-year absence.
"A very bad day," said Pochettino, the U.S. coach. "It's not like you are in a
rocket and you improve and you grow. ... It's not linear."
This loss was a painful reckoning for a team that hoped to boost the sport but
instead failed to shake a quarter-century of stagnation since 20-year-old
Landon Donovan led the Americans to the 2002 quarterfinals. Since then, the
U.S. has lost four times in the round of 16.
"Everyone had nerves, right, because we knew how much this meant for the whole
country, not just our team," said 21-year-old defender Alex Freeman, the
youngest U.S. player.
Belgium knocked out the U.S. in the round of 16 for the second time in 12 years
and extended its unbeaten streak to 18 games. The Red Devils play 2010 champion
Spain on Friday at Inglewood, California, for a semifinal berth against France
or Morocco.
"We showed that we're ready and we want to perform," captain Youri Tielemans
said.
All six CONCACAF nations have been eliminated, with the three co-hosts falling
in the round of 16.
Malik Tillman tied the score 1-1 midway through the first half when he became
the first player since France's Bernard Genghini in 1982 to have two free kick
goals in a World Cup, but the Americans conceded less than a minute after the
ensuing kickoff.
American star Christian Pulisic could only watch the end from the bench after
injuring his right ankle when he hit Tielemans' boot on a 52nd-minute shot
attempt. Pulisic was replaced seven minutes later, finishing the tournament
with no goals.
"I didn't quite have the moments I was hoping to and to try to help us to
really push and get over this next step of beating a really good team," he
said. "I'm disappointed with myself, of course, but I'm going to try and stay
positive. I did a lot of good things and the team did, as well."
After winning three World Cup games for the first time in this expanded
48-nation tournament, the U.S. lost its seventh straight match to Belgium. The
Americans have dropped 11 of their last 12 games against European opponents,
winning only their round of 32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
A heralded generation led by Pulisic, Adams and Weston McKennie only partially
accomplished their mission of lifting soccer's stature closer to that of the
NFL, MLB and the NBA.
"A goal was obviously to inspire people that the sport was growing in the U.S.,
which I think we saw. The support was unbelievable," Adams said. "In this
moment we let them down."
De Ketelaere put Belgium ahead in the eighth minute and Tillman's goal in the
31st energized a largely red-white-and-blue crowd of 66,925 at Lumen Field. De
Ketelaere damped that and assisted on Hans Vanaken's 57th-minute goal after
Freese lost control of the ball in front of his net.
"Obviously disappointed for my involvement and error in judgment on the third
goal," Freese said.
Belgium, which didn't start stars Jrmy Doku as and Kevin De Bruyne, pressed
from the start and exposed a defense regarded as the Americans' weak spot.
Dodi Lukbakio made a long diagonal pass to the opposite corner, leading to the
opening goal. Leandro Troussard controlled the ball and his cross was blocked
by Freeman and popped into the air. Freeman headed the ball into the penalty
area and Timothy Castagne charged after it and hooked a centering pass around
Richards. De Ketelaere split Antonee Robinson and Tim Ream, at 38 the oldest
American ever in a World Cup, then with his right foot redirected the ball into
an open net.
Pochettino held out his arms, as if to ask: What was going on?
Tillman scored after Brandon Mechele knocked down Balogun about 25 yards from
goal. Tillman's kick deflected off Vanaken's head and deflected to the left of
goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who had dived right.
Troussard got around Sergio Dest for a cross and De Ketelaere outjumped Ream
and headed the ball past Freese in the 33rd minute for his eighth international
goal.
Belgium built a two-goal lead when Mechele lofted a long ball that Freese
chested after two hops. Freese hesitated with a touch, then scrambled and
kicked the ball off De Ketelaere. Vanaken one-timed a shot from 35 yards that
deflected in off Ream.
Lukaku entered in the 67th minute and scored his 93rd international goal.
Pochettino replaced Gregg Berhalter after first-round elimination at the 2024
Copa America. His contract expires this summer and he hasn't decided whether to
stay through the 2030 World Cup.
Instead of focusing on Spain, Pochettino has a different near-term agenda.
"To rest a little bit, to think, to have conversation," he said, "and then see
what the decision is from the federation and from us."
___
AP Sports Writer Andrew Destin and Associated Press writer Eugene Johnson
contributed to this report.
___
See more of AP's World Cup coverage here
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