Belgium ends Team USA’s World Cup run with 4-1 victory in round of 16

(FOX 5/KUSI) — Team USA came into the highly anticipated round of 16 match against Belgium with a little luck on its side of the pitch, playing on a familiar field and getting back one of its familiar faces in the return of Folarin Balogun.

That didn’t stop the European club from playing the role of spoiler, however, as Team USA fell 4-1 to the Red Devils, ending America’s run in this year’s World Cup.

The Star and Stripes faced Belgium on Monday night at Seattle Stadium, home of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, who hold the best record in Monday Night Football history. Following the Seahawks’ lead, Team USA had never lost at Seattle’s stadium — until today.

Belgium struck first in the 9th minute when Charles De Ketelaere snuck in and tipped in a centering pass for the early lead after punishing the U.S. for a mistake inside the box. De Ketelaere’s score marked the Belgium prodigy’s first World Cup goal.

Team USA earned a penalty kick in the 29th minute and cashed in when Malik Tillman took a deflection off the wall and found the back of the net to put the U.S. on the scoreboard. It marked his second goal of the tournament.

The game was knotted at 1-1 for only 51 seconds before Belgium struck again.

In the 32nd minute, De Ketelaere got the early jump and headed it into the net for his second goal of the match, putting Belgium up 2-1.

Things didn’t get much better for the U.S. In the 35th minute, Weston McKennie was handed a yellow card.

Just when things couldn’t get any worse, they did. In the 51st minute, USA star Christian Pulisic went down with an injury, with no foul being called on the play. Pulisic was seen limping on the pitch after the clash and was eventually substituted in the 58th minute.

Belgium’s persistent pressure proved to be the gift that kept on giving, as the European club had five shots on goal at halftime compared to Team USA’s one.

Matt Freese came out of the penalty box to play a ball in the 57th minute, when he whiffed on a clearing kick, and Hans Vanaken pounced on the mistake to make it 3-1.

Romelu Lukaku put the final nail in the coffin for Belgium, scoring in stoppage time to give the Red Devils a 4-1 win over the U.S.

Belgium will now face Spain in the quarterfinal on Friday in Los Angeles.

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