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

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

Charles De Ketelaere celebrates his first of two in Seattle against the US. Picture: Alex Grimm/Getty

Tue, 07 Jul, 2026 - 03:48

Reuters

Round of 16: USA 1 Belgium 4

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 U.S. 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 U.S. 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 U.S. 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 U.S. 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.

Folarin Balogun controversially had his red card overturned and was eligible to start for the US. Picture: Jamie Squire/Getty

Balogun lacks impact for US

The build-up was dominated by U.S. 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 U.S. 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.

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

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

USA: Freese; Freeman, Richards, Ream, Robinson (Arfsten 90); McKennie, Adams (Pepi 72), Tillman; Dest (Reyna 45), Balogun (Wright 90), Pulisic (Berhalter 59).

Yellow cards: McKennie, Tillman.

BELGIUM: Courtois; Castagne, Ndoy, Mechele, De Kuyper; Onana (Vanaken 21), Raskin (Witsel 89); Lukebakio (Doku 67), Tielemans, Trossard (Saelemaekers 89), De Ketelaere (Lukaku 67).

Referee: Adham Makhadmeh (Jordan).

Player of the Match: C De Ketelaere.

— Reuters