Belgium Crushes U.S. Dreams in World Cup | San Jose News

Belgium obliterated the U.S. World Cup hopes with a 4-1 rout, fueled by Charles De Ketelaere’s two goals and an assist, while American defense crumbled under pressure and costly errors. Folarin Balogun’s return and Malik Tillman’s late equalizer couldn’t turn the tide, as Matt Freese’s costly mistake gifted Belgium a second-half goal. Coach Pochettino’s frustration boiled over as he kicked water bottles after Belgium’s second goal — a sign of a team playing far below their previous intensity. With an 18-game unbeaten streak, Belgium advances to face Spain in the quarterfinals, while the U.S. suffers its first World Cup knockout since 2002 and its seventh straight loss to Belgium. This marks a crushing end for a generation of American players aiming to elevate soccer’s profile in the States — as CONCACAF’s hopes fade, the gap to Europe and South America grows wider. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/5cb30b45891a1c0a