US thrashed by Belgium and out of World Cup after Balogun scandal

Co-hosts United States were thrashed 4-1 by Belgium on Monday and were eliminated from the World Cup following FIFA’s controversial decision to allow forward Folarin Balogun play despite a red card suspension.

Belgium took an early lead through Charles De Ketelaere in the ninth minute. The US hit back in the 31st with Malik Tillman’s equalizer, but the Belgians had a quick response and De Ketelaere was on target again just two minutes later.

Hans Vanaken added a third in the 57th thanks to a catastrophic defensive display from the US, and substitute Romelu Lukaku sealed the win in stoppage time.

“The players were outstanding and followed the game plan perfectly. We were in control throughout the match. Once again, it was a real team effort,” Belgium coach Rudi Garcia said.

“To everyone who got up in the middle of the night to support us, I’d like to say a huge thank you. They should be happy and proud of their players today. We showed that Belgium is a great football nation.”

All of the World Cup co-hosts are now out of the tournament. Canada were beaten by Morocco while Mexico lost to 10-man England, both in the last 16.

Pre-match scandal

The lead-up to the game was overshadowed by FIFA’s decision to allow US forward Folarin Balogun play after he was sent off during the round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Balogun’s red card triggered an automatic one-game ban, but FIFA suspended the ban in a near unprecedented move so he could play against Belgium. The Belgian appeal was rejected by FIFA.

The saga has rocked the World Cup and shocked the football community, with critics accusing governing body FIFA of giving in to alleged political meddling.

US President Donald Trump said at the White House that “I asked for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul” and that a suspension would have left “a big stain” on the tournament.

Balogun was in the starting line-up but had minimal impact. His best chances came late in the game, when he forced goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois into a big save in the 82nd and when his header from a corner was also denied by the keeper in the 84th.

Belgium fired up from minute one

The Belgians looked extra motivated following the off-pitch controversy and had their best performance of the World Cup so far.

After a brilliant start, they took a deserved lead in the ninth minute. The US failed to clear their lines and Nicolas Raskin’s low cross eventually found De Ketelaere, who tapped in from short range.

The Belgians suffered a setback in the 21st as Amadou Onana was forced to come out after he seemed to overstretch and hurt his right knee. Vanaken came on and later became an important factor for the victory.

Encouraged by the home support, the US tried to at least put up a fight and were level in the 31st. Tillman’s free-kick took a massive deflection on two Belgian players and Courtois couldn’t do anything to stop it from falling into the net.

But Belgium fired back quickly and they retook the lead in the 33rd as Leandro Trossard’s cross was headed in by De Ketelaere.

US pay high cost for defensive mistakes

While the US struggled to pose a threat, Belgium boosted their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals with a third goal in the 57th.

US keeper Matt Freese came out of his goal to collect a long ball and seemed to have things under control. But he fumbled under pressure from De Ketelaere, who got a touch to the ball to serve Vanaken and he fired it into the empty net as Tim Ream failed to block.

Balogun had two good late chances to make the difference before he was subbed off in the second minute of stoppage time.

He looked crestfallen on the bench as Lukaku added a fourth for Belgium just a minute later thanks to another defensive mistake.

Chris Richards lost the ball on the left side near his box and Lukaku picked his spot after Vanaken’s assist and slotted it home.

“The one big disappointment, the one dark cloud over tonight, is Amadou Onana’s injury. We owed it to him to keep going in the second half, win the match and qualify for the quarter-finals,” Garcia said.

The US were aiming to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 2002, but exited their home World Cup on a bitter note.

“Everyone saw from the beginning that we did not connect with the game. We were never in the game. Even when we scored, we scored the goal for 1-1, we conceded in the next action. It was really tough from the beginning,” US coach Mauricio Pochettino said and took most of the blame for the elimination.

“We need to learn. It is a process to learn and assess the game and understand why we did not approach the game in the same way as the rest of the World Cup. Different reasons, maybe the explanation is so easy, it wasn’t our day collectively or individually. The principal person responsible is myself.”