Belgium thrash the United States (1-4) to send the co-hosts home: De Ketelaere double
The United States' World Cup dream died at home. At Seattle's Lumen Field, a clinical Belgium thrashed the co-hosts (1-4) with a Charles De Ketelaere double (9' and 33') and goals from Hans Vanaken (57') and Romelu Lukaku (90+3'). Malik Tillman levelled things up (31') and the USA bossed possession (56%), but the Red Devils were a shooting machine (15 shots, seven on target) and made it count. Belgium set up a quarter-final with Spain.
The United States bowed out of their World Cup in the worst possible way: thrashed at home. At Seattle's Lumen Field, a far more clinical Belgium swept the co-hosts aside (1-4) to reach the quarter-finals, where Spain await. The closing image —the Seattle stadium emptying before the final whistle— summed up a bitter night for Mauricio Pochettino's side, who competed in spells but were ultimately overwhelmed by the Red Devils' cutting edge.
Pochettino lined up in a 4-3-3: Freese in goal; Freeman, Chris Richards, Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson in defence; McKennie, Tyler Adams and Tillman in midfield; and a front three of Sergiño Dest, Balogun and Pulisic. Rudi Garcia answered with a 4-2-3-1 with Courtois in goal, a back line of Castagne, Ngoy, Mechele and De Cuyper, the Onana-Raskin double pivot and Lukebakio, Tielemans, Trossard and De Ketelaere ahead of them.
Belgium struck first and struck early. In the 9th minute, Charles De Ketelaere finished off a move set up by Nicolas Raskin for 0-1. The blow did not sink the USA, who responded with pride: in the 31st, Malik Tillman made it 1-1 and lit up Seattle. But the joy lasted barely two minutes. In the 33rd, De Ketelaere popped up again, this time from a Leandro Trossard pass, for his double and the 1-2 that stood at half-time.
The second half confirmed the rule of the more clinical side. In the 57th, Hans Vanaken —on very early, in the 21st, for the injured Onana— finished off an assist from De Ketelaere himself to make it 1-3. The USA, who ended with more possession (56%), gave it everything, but crashed time and again into Courtois and a well-organised Belgian back line. The Red Devils, by contrast, were a machine: 15 shots and seven on target to the hosts' seven shots and two on target.
The tie was settled in stoppage time. In the 90+3, Romelu Lukaku, on for De Ketelaere, finished from a Vanaken pass for the final 1-4. De Ketelaere, with two goals and an assist, was named man of the match with an 8.3. Belgium march into the quarter-finals, where they will face Spain on 10 July. The United States, co-hosts of the tournament, say goodbye to their World Cup in the round of 16.