Belgium buries USA 2026 World Cup dream at Seattle

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By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye 
  

Charles De Ketelaere was the man with the shovel as the Belgians buried USA dream winning the 2026 World Cup in Seattle on Monday.


The De Ketelaere scored a braceas Belgium went on to win in 4-1 in a match 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.


The U.S. defeat means all three co-hosts are out of the tournament, after Canada and Mexico lost their last-16 games.


Photo by Reuters


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