The United States soccer team’s loss to Belgium wasn’t unexpected.
But the way the Americans lost and the score (4-1) were.
In front of a packed house in Seattle and with soccer interest in our country at an all-time high, one would have expected the U.S. team to embrace the energy generated by their fans and turn in a quality performance even if it didn’t result in a victory.
But the Belgians simply outclassed the U.S. and controlled all aspects of the game.
The Belgians made the Americans look completely disorganized and constantly forced mistakes and turnovers with their pressure. The U.S. also had a lot of unforced errors.
The Americans weren’t as aggressive or as sharp as they had been or as they needed to be. They looked like they had stage fright.
There are no excuses for that performance.
And to think Belgium was trailing Senegal by two goals with four minutes left in regulation in its round of 32 game only to score twice to force extra time and then win it on a last-minute penalty kick.
Did the red card overturn prior to the match play a role?
U.S striker and leading goal scorer Folarin Balogun was assessed a red card when he unintentionally stepped on the ankle of a Bosnia-Herzegovina player while they were battling for the ball in the U.S.’s round of 32 knockout stage win.
That meant he would miss the next game due to suspension which was the Belgium game.
One-game red card suspensions aren’t supposed to be appealed, but President Donald Trump contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino asking him to review the ruling and the one-game ban was suspended, which enabled Balogun to play against Belgium.
It was the first time since 1962 that a one-game red-card suspension in the World Cup was overturned.
FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee invoked Article 27, which allows it to decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of any disciplinary measure and impose a probationary period of one year.
There was a public outcry across the globe about the decision to allow him to play, feeling FIFA caved to Trump.
And those who complained have big grins on their faces.
It’s understandable and has put FIFA in a bad light.
But the bottom line is it never should have been a red card in the first place.
FIFA got it right.
The referee initially didn’t call a foul at all, but VAR officials contacted him, he watched the replay and issued the red card based on the slow-motion replays.
There is an appeals process for a multi-game red card ban but not for a one-game ban and that should change. There needs to be an appeals process for a one-game ban.
In a USA Today story, four well-respected referees said it wasn’t a red card offense.
This wasn’t unprecedented.
Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo had two matches from a three-game, red-card ban earned in November deferred by a year so he could play in the opening games of the World Cup.
And FIFA’s Bureau of the Council allowed an Argentinian defender and an Ecuador midfielder to have their one-game bans deferred to a one-game probationary period so they could play in the first game of the tournament.
Did regaining the services of Balogun give the U.S. a false sense of security and an inflated confidence heading into the Belgium game?
The U.S. players said it didn’t. They knew what they were up against.
Did it give the Belgians extra motivation?
The Belgian players downplayed it.
But none of it mattered.
Once the whistle blew to start the game, all of the outside stuff disappeared.
The Belgians had the first six shot attempts of the game and took the lead nine minutes into the contest when the Americans got caught ball-watching in their own penalty area and a low pass across the net front by Nicolas Raskin was tapped into the empty net by Charles De Ketelaere.
Malik Tillman equalized with his second free kick goal of the tournament as it took a fortuitous bounce off the head of a Belgian and deflected into the net.
He is just the second player in history to score two free-kick goals in one World Cup.
That should have gotten the Americans out of their funk and given them some momentum while also igniting the crowd.
But just two minutes later, two American defenders failed to block a cross from the left side by Leandro Trossard and De Ketelaere wedged between two defenders, outjumped Tim Ream and easily angled a header into the far corner.
The U.S momentum was gone.
Both Belgians goals were far too easy.
The U.S. was down by one but starting to build a little momentum in the second half when a catastrophic blunder by American goalkeeper Matt Freese led to Belgium’s game-changing third goal.
Freese came way out of his penalty area to chest down a loose ball before having his clearance blocked by a Belgian and land on the foot of teammate Hans Vanaken, who calmly slotted the ball into the vacant net from long distance.
That all but ended any hopes of a comeback and Belgium added a late goal.
Belgium finished with a 15-6 edge in shot attempts and 7-2 advantage in shots on goal.
The Americans had taken the country by storm by winning three games for the first time in their World Cup history and they wound up scoring a U.S.-record 11 goals in their five games.
Unfortunately, you are always remembered by your last performance and this was a forgettable showing.
However, there were enough positives to somewhat ease the disappointment.
The man nicknamed “Captain America,” team captain and forward-midfielder Christian Pulisic, managed just one assist in the tournament. He was never a factor and he needed to be.
He was battling injuries, but he has always been injury-prone.
There weren’t many players, if any, who performed well on Monday.
So what’s next?
Manager Mauricio Pochettino did an excellent job and can’t be blamed for Monday’s loss. Hopefully, the U.S. Soccer Federation will extend his contract, but he may want to return to coaching a top-level club team.
Despite the loss, the team is definitely improving and needs to get more players involved in the top leagues in Europe in preparation for the 2030 World Cup, which will be hosted by Spain, Morocco and Portugal.
Remember, for most of the other 47 nations involved in the World Cup field, soccer is their top sport and attracts their best athletes.
Soccer in the United States is competing against football, baseball, basketball and hockey for the best athletes.
It has been a wonderful tournament with great crowds and lively environments, highlighted by defending champion Argentina’s thrilling 3-2 extra time victory over Cape Verde, which was making its first World Cup appearance and is the third smallest country (just over 500,000 people) to ever appear in a World Cup.