USA’s World Cup run ends in heartbreak after defensive failures

The USA’s World Cup dream is over, following a humiliating 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the Round of 16 at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, on Monday evening.

Belgium went after goalkeeper Matt Freese early on, and they opened the scoring in the ninth minute when Charles De Ketelaere tapped the ball home from Nicolas Raskin. The Atalanta forward completed his brace with a towering header in the 33rd minute.

Before De Ketelaere scored his second, Malik Tillman scored the USA’s only goal with a well-taken free-kick from just outside the box in the 31st minute. Since then, Belgium controlled the rest of the match.

Belgium made it 3-1 in the 57th minute when Hans Vanaken scored from distance after a howler from Matt Freese. And Romelu Lukaku came off the bench late to put the final nail in the coffin in stoppage time after Chris Richards lost the ball on the left side of the USA’s box.

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Mauricio Pochettino gets real on the USA’s performance against Belgium

The pre-game betting odds had the USA as the favorites to eliminate Belgium. Instead, it became the other way around, as Mauricio Pochettino’s side produced their most lackluster display of the World Cup.

“We didn’t show our real quality as ​a team. We never connected with the game. Belgium were better than us, and that’s it,” Pochettino told reporters. “It was a very bad day. It wasn’t our day, collectively or individually. In a tournament like the ​World Cup, when that happens in a knockout stage, you are out, and you need ​to go home.”

“Even when we scored, in the next action we conceded. Normally you cannot concede in that moment. We were not good enough today. We don’t need to find excuses. All that was happening around was around, but it wasn’t a ​situation that affected us… We need to keep improving, but I am proud. I think we settled the principles for the future.”

The USA’s defeat means all three co-hosts are now out of the tournament after Canada and Mexico also lost their Round of 16 matches. As for Belgium, they have drawn Spain as their opponents in the quarterfinals.