SEATTLE — Charles De Ketelaere scored a brace and added an assist as Belgium eliminated the United States from the World Cup with a 4-1 win in their round of 16 match on Monday. It was a convincing performance against the co-hosts for the Red Devils, who advance to play Spain in a quarterfinal match in Inglewood, Calif., on Friday. After Belgium thoroughly dominated in taking a 2-1 halftime lead, the U.S. ratcheted up the pressure coming out of the break seeking the equalizer. Instead, Belgium was staked to a two-goal advantage when U.S. goalkeeper Matt Freese left his area only to misplay a long ball, leading to a goal into an empty net by Belgium midfielder Hans Vanaken in the 57th minute. De Ketelaere was credited with the assist, which came after a pair of goals that asserted the Red Devils’ superiority in the first half. The Atalanta forward scored in the ninth and 33rd minutes, both times taking advantage of an overmatched United States backline to leave Freese with no chance. U.S. midfielder Malik Tillman tied the game at 1-1 in the 31st minute when his free kick from just outside Belgium’s box was deflected and found the back of the net with Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois diving in the opposite direction. It finally gave the partisan sellout crowd of 66,925 something to cheer about, but the momentum was very short-lived. Less than two minutes later, De Ketelaere connected with a header off a cross from Leandro Trossard. It was the second time De Ketelaere got between American defenders Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson, this time out-jumping Ream for the clean header. His first goal came in the ninth minute, when the U.S. failed to clear their lines despite having numerous players in the box. Nicolas Raskin, starting in place of Kevin De Bruyne, collected the ball on the edge of the penalty box. He sent a short cross to De Ketelaere, who easily converted after sneaking between Ream and Robinson. It marked the seventh and eighth international goals for De Ketelaere, who also scored in Belgium’s 5-2 win over the USMNT in a March friendly in Atlanta. The American backline that had been considered the team’s weakness entering the World Cup appeared overwhelmed by the step up in competition from the outset against ninth-ranked Belgians. Coach Rudi Garcia made four changes to his starting XI from his team’s dramatic 3-2 extra-time win over Senegal in the round of 32, and they quickly paid dividends. The Red Devils were aggressive from the outset, logging their first shot attempt in the first minute, forcing a diving save from Freese. Belgium captain Youri Tielemans also failed to convert an excellent look a few minutes later. U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino brought on Giovanni Reyna to begin the second half in an attempt to find more scoring opportunities. However, he was forced to substitute off star Christian Pulisic in the 59th minute after the forward was injured attempting to line up a shot attempt and instead kicking the leg of a defender. Another mistake by the U.S. backline led to Belgium’s fourth goal when Romelu Lukaku scored in second-half stoppage time after a turnover by Chris Richards. ===== POCHETTINO ON FUTURE WITH USMNT: ‘NOW IS NOT THE TIME’ TO DISCUSS SEATTLE — Mauricio Pochettino certainly sounds open to staying on as coach of the United States men’s national team, but said he will take time after Monday’s 4-1 loss to Belgium before making any final decisions.Sports Coaching & Training Pochettino, 54, signed a contract in the summer of 2024 that expires after this World Cup, but he reportedly has an offer on the table to continue leading the USMNT through the 2030 World Cup. “We have built a good relationship,” Pochettino said of the United States Soccer Federation. “But now is not the time to talk about that. Right now, it’s about resting a little bit, to have some recuperation.” He led the USMNT to the top of the Group D standings and a round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina before Monday night’s defeat. Despite admitting the three-goal loss “hurts,” Pochettino said he has seen significant growth in the US team since taking over. “To grow, it’s not like you’re on a rocket,” he said. “In one year I see this team can play football, can play soccer. We can compete. And a young generation of players coming behind. “We know the process is always about four years. Now we have a complete assessment about a lot of players. We have set the foundation to be successful in the future.”International Sports Competitions The Argentine previously managed England’s Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur and France’s Paris Saint-Germain, among other clubs. If he signs up for another four-year cycle, Pochettino would look to take the U.S. through CONCACAF qualifying for the 2030 FIFA World Cup that will be jointly hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain. ===== About The Author troyderengowski61@gmail.com See author's posts Post navigation NORWAY AND ENGLAND ADVANCE WORLD CUP SOCCER
