Belgium end US’ World Cup dreams with 4-1 rout amid Balogun row

[SEATTLE] The United States’ World Cup dreams came to a crashing halt in the last 16 against Belgium on Monday as Charles De Ketelaere scored twice in a 4-1 win overshadowed by Fifa’s controversial decision to suspend US forward Folarin Balogun’s ban.

De Ketelaere gave Belgium the lead in the ninth minute with a simple tap-in, taking full advantage of a nervous start by the US to quickly deflate the partisan crowd.

Malik Tillman equalised in the 31st minute with a deflected free kick which wrong-footed Thibaut Courtois, but De Ketelaere restored Belgium’s lead little more than a minute later with a back-post header.

The US played with more authority after the break until a calamitous error from goalkeeper Matt Freese allowed substitute Hans Vanaken to score in the 57th minute, irreversibly shifting the momentum in a stunned Seattle Stadium.

Romelu Lukaku then added a fourth in added time to send US fans streaming for the exits and Belgium into the quarter-finals for the third time in the last four World Cups. They will play European champions Spain in Los Angeles on Friday.

Balogun lacks impact for US

The build-up was dominated by US President Donald Trump’s unprecedented intervention before Balogun’s one-match ban for a red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina was suspended, but the 25-year-old could barely get into the game.

The US struggled with Belgium’s intensity from the start and, with the crowd still going through their first chant of “U-S-A!”, Timothy Castagne forced Freese into a fingertip save.

Belgium should have been ahead after a brilliant run from Dodi Lukebakio – impressive in place of Jeremy Doku – produced a great chance for Youri Tielemans, who totally missed his shot.

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The co-hosts did not learn their lesson, though, and a minute later De Ketelaere tapped home Nicolas Raskin’s cross after the US failed to clear their lines.

The US looked stunned and were grateful for the hydration break, levelling shortly after the resumption when Balogun won a free kick in a dangerous position.

Tillman’s effort took a wicked deflection off the forehead of Vanaken, an early substitute for the injured Amadou Onana, which gave Courtois no chance.

But the US swiftly conceded another cheap goal, with Leandro Trossard standing up a simple cross for De Ketelaere to outmuscle Tim Ream and head home.

The US looked more composed after the break, but any hopes of a comeback were shattered when Freese dawdled on the ball out of his goal and gave Vanaken a shot at an open goal.

And the game had long since petered out when Lukaku bagged his seventh career World Cup goal and 93rd for Belgium with a cool finish. REUTERS