Belgium eliminates the USA 4:1 from their own tournament – co-host falls in the round of 16 ahead of quarterfinal clash with Spain

The deserved opener came in the 9th minute: Nicolas Raskin won the ball in the penalty area, went unchallenged, and squared it to Charles De Ketelaere, who tapped in from close range to make it 0:1. "Tooor per Rechtsschuss für Belgien, 0:1 durch Charles De Ketelaere," the live ticker reported. Amadou Onana, who had initiated the move, had to be substituted later due to injury after twisting his knee in a challenge far from the ball.

Belgium's rotation and Pochettino's faith

Belgium took the field with a starting eleven changed in four positions. Coach Rudi Garcia had left superstar Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku, Hans Vanaken, and Arthur Theate on the bench compared to the hard-fought round-of-32 victory over Senegal. In their places, Dodi Lukebakio, Onana, Nicolas Raskin, and Nathan Ngoy started. For the USA, Pochettino placed his trust in his established eleven, which also included Folarin Balogun.

The very fact that Balogun was able to participate had been a major controversy in the lead-up. The striker had received a red card in the round-of-32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina and should normally have been suspended for the round of 16. FIFA, however, lifted the suspension one day before the match without giving reasons. According to reports, U.S. President Donald Trump had personally called FIFA President Gianni Infantino beforehand and pushed for the reversal.

The Balogun affair: Trump, Infantino, and FIFA

The reaction came swiftly. The Belgian Football Association officially lodged an appeal against the decision. DFB President Bernd Neuendorf stated: "Es geht um die Integrität des Wettbewerbs und die Glaubwürdigkeit der FIFA". Jürgen Klopp commented on the affair with the words: "Wenn das wirklich Trump und Infantino miteinander ausgemacht haben - das ist verrückt, das stellt alles infrage". Former England international striker Wayne Rooney added: "Die Strafe für ein Jahr auf Bewährung zu setzen - das ist eine Schande. Infantino sollte sich dafür schämen."

Pochettino himself expressed relief at the lifting of the suspension: "Es ist eine fantastische Entscheidung, nicht nur für uns, sondern für den Fußball." On the pitch, however, the Balogun saga helped the USA only to a limited extent.

De Ketelaere doubles up, Freese blunders

After the break, Belgium struck with clinical efficiency. In the 33rd minute, De Ketelaere completed his brace after the Americans had briefly leveled at 1:1, restoring the visitors' lead. From that point on, the hosts began to waver. According to the match report, the 3:1 goal stemmed from an error by U.S. keeper Matthew Freese.

The USA, who had secured early first place in the group stage after two convincing victories over Australia and Paraguay and had comfortably beaten Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32, found no answer during this phase of the match. Belgium pressed on and ultimately produced a clear 4:1 final scoreline.

Eliminated: the last co-host is out

For Belgium, who in the group stage had only managed draws against Egypt and Iran, celebrated a rout against New Zealand, and narrowly avoided elimination against Senegal in the round of 32, reaching the quarterfinals is nevertheless a success. The live ticker summarized: "Im Viertelfinal geht es für Belgien gegen die Spanier". Spain had meanwhile advanced through the round of 16 with a 1:0 win over Portugal.

From a sporting standpoint, the USA's elimination leaves a bitter aftertaste. Just hours before kickoff, the Balogun issue had dominated the headlines, and now it is confirmed: the dream of lifting the trophy on home soil is over for the last remaining co-host already at the round of 16 stage. The match kicked off in Seattle at 27 degrees, officiated by Jordanian referee Adham Makhadmeh.

Outlook: quarterfinal against Spain

The result also reshuffles the knockout bracket: Belgium faces Spain in the quarterfinals, while the USA must head home. The debate over the role played by the U.S. President and the FIFA leadership in lifting Balogun's suspension will continue to cast a shadow over the tournament.

For the organizers, the outcome is a blow to the event's image. Of all teams, the last remaining co-host is eliminated early, while the controversy surrounding the Balogun decision calls into question the integrity of the competition. The live ticker put it bluntly: "Letzter Co-Gastgeber ist raus".