Belgium played well and beat the USA 4-1 in the round of 16 at Lumen Field in Seattle on Monday. This means Belgium will play Spain in the quarterfinals in Los Angeles on Friday.

Belgium Strike Early and Never Let Go

The USA crowd was very excited. They were quiet when Charles De Ketelaere scored just nine minutes into the match. Nicolas Raskins low cross helped De Ketelaere tap the ball home. The USA scored their goal just past the half-hour mark. Malik Tillmans deflected free-kick went in making it 1-1. Belgium scored again just two minutes later. De Ketelaere scored his goal with a good finish.

Belgium scored again in the half through Hans Vanaken. Then Romelu Lukaku scored Belgiums goal in stoppage time.

The Balogun Controversy That Overshadowed the Buildup

There was a lot of talk before the match about USA player Folarin Balogun. He was given a card and a one-match suspension but then it was delayed by a year. Despite all the talk Balogun didn’t do much in the match. Belgium coach Rudi Garcia said Balogun wasn’t a threat. USA captain Tim Ream said the team stayed focused on the game and didn’t let the controversy distract them.

A Flat Night for the Co-Hosts

The USA had hopes but they didn’t play well. They had a team with players from top leagues in Europe and a good coach in Mauricio Pochettino.. They didn’t make it to the quarterfinals. Pochettino said his team didn’t play well from the start. He congratulated Belgium on their win. The USA is out of the tournament along with Canada and Mexico.

Belgium Set Up Repeat of Iberian Rivalry Test

Belgium will play Spain in the quarterfinals. Spain beat Portugal 1-0 earlier in the tournament. Belgiums win came with a cost. Midfielder Amadou Onana got injured.

Looking Ahead

Belgium will play Spain in a quarterfinal match. There will also be talk about the Balogun controversy and its impact, on football. The USA will think about their campaign.