Balogun reprieve ends in anti-climax as Belgium dump USA out
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- Belgium ran out 4-1 winners at a sold-out Lumen Field (66,925), with Charles De Ketelaere opening and restoring the lead either side of Malik Tillman's deflected equaliser (9', 31', 33'), and Hans Vanaken (57') and Romelu Lukaku (90+3') adding second-half goals.
- Folarin Balogun, whose red card had been suspended through a process that drew Donald Trump's involvement, managed just 11 touches in the first half and appeared peripheral as the USA attack never clicked.
- USA manager Mauricio Pochettino's side showed "none of their usual verve," with schoolboy defensive howlers — three players hesitating to intercept Leandro Trossard's cross for the opener, keeper Matt Freese caught in possession for Vanaken's strike, and Chris Richards tackled by Lukaku for the fourth — sealing the rout.
- Belgium advances to face Spain in the quarter-finals after a first-half display the source describes as dominant enough to have scored inside the first minute, when Timothy Castagne forced a fingertip save from Freese after 46 seconds.
- The source frames Trump's intervention in the supposedly independent FIFA disciplinary process as a "PR circus" that may have backfired, with Balogun's reprieve "appearing to hinder rather than help" the co-hosts as attention overshadowed the pitch.
- USA failed to register a shot on target beyond Tillman's deflected free-kick before the break, and were outplayed despite Pochettino's half-time message initially shifting momentum before the third defensive mistake.
Why it matters: Belgium's progression eliminates the USA from their home World Cup at the first knockout stage and hands Spain — already a tournament favourite — a quarter-final opponent with momentum. For the USA, the performance raises sharp questions about Pochettino's setup against elite opposition and whether the Balogun/Trump off-pitch circus actively unsettled the squad.
