Belgium booked their place in the World Cup quarter finals with a commanding 4 1 victory over the United States, bringing the campaign of the final remaining host nation to an end in Seattle.
Charles de Ketelaere was the standout performer for Belgium, scoring twice in the first half to set the tone for a confident European display. The United States, who were hoping to reach the last eight for the first time since 2002, struggled to match Belgium’s sharp movement, composure and attacking quality.
The build up to the match had been dominated by Folarin Balogun’s availability. The striker had been expected to miss the tie after receiving a straight red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the previous round. However, Fifa placed his automatic one match suspension on hold for 12 months after a review, a decision that drew strong criticism, especially after Donald Trump said he had asked for the matter to be reconsidered.
Balogun started the match, but the United States failed to give him enough service. Their top scorer at the tournament, with three goals, was kept quiet for most of the night. His best opportunity came late in the game from a narrow angle, but Thibaut Courtois reacted well to deny him.
Belgium struck early in the ninth minute when Nicolas Raskin sent the ball across goal for De Ketelaere to finish from close range. The home crowd had something to celebrate in the 31st minute when Malik Tillman’s free kick deflected off Hans Vanaken and found the net.
That hope lasted only briefly. Two minutes later, De Ketelaere restored Belgium’s advantage with a well timed header from Leandro Trossard’s delivery.
The second half brought more frustration for Mauricio Pochettino’s side. Goalkeeper Matt Freese hesitated under pressure from De Ketelaere, allowing Belgium to regain possession before Vanaken calmly guided the ball into the bottom corner from outside the box.
Romelu Lukaku, who started on the bench once again, added the fourth goal in stoppage time with a composed low finish from a tight angle. In doing so, he became the first substitute to score three goals in a single World Cup tournament.
Belgium coach Rudi Garcia’s decision to start De Ketelaere ahead of Lukaku was fully justified, while Kevin de Bruyne remained unused after a long run of starts. Belgium have now reached at least the quarter final stage in three of their last four World Cups.
