“Belgium Did Us a Favor” – Ex-NFL Star’s Brutal Reality Check After USMNT’s World Cup Humbling

Belgium knocks out Team USA with a 4-1 scoreline.

“Belgium Did Us a Favor” – Ex-NFL Star’s Brutal Reality Check After USMNT’s World Cup Humbling

Christian Pulisic and Shannon Sharpe inside the circle (Image via Sky Sports)

FIFA overturning Folarin Balogun’s red card after receiving a call from Donald Trump kicked off a wave of criticism from neutrals. Soccer fans who don’t have allegiance to the USMNT pledged to support their Round of 16 opponents, Belgium.

The fixture took place on Monday afternoon in Seattle. Belgium, the sixth-best soccer nation in the world, struck first through Charles De Ketelaere. USA levelled the score when Malik Tillman’s free kick glanced off the Belgian wall and into the net, leaving goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois bamboozled.

However, the visitors reclaimed their lead just two minutes later. De Ketelaere took advantage of a miscommunication in the USA defense to score his second of the game.

Fourteen minutes into the second half, Hans Vanaken dispossessed USA GK Matt Freese before he could clear the ball and slotted into an empty net for Belgium’s third goal.

Belgium captain and veteran striker Romelu Lukaku added a fourth in added time after stealing the ball from a USA defender. Belgium won 4-1 and advanced to the next round, where they will play Spain.

A disappointed NFL Hall of Famer, Shannon Sharpe, accepted the USA’s defeat.

Belgium [is] actually did us a FAVOR by dismantling us like this. Let’s us know. We’re not nearly as close as we thought. This was awful.

Shannon Sharpe tweeted
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How did Folarin Balogun perform against Belgium?

USA hogged the ball more (57%), but they created fewer chances than their opponents. Seven of Belgium’s 15 shots were on target, converting on four occasions.

"Belgium Did Us a Favor" - Ex-NFL Star's Brutal Reality Check After USMNT's World Cup Humbling
Folarin Balogun (Image via Yardbarker)

Now the question stands: what happened to Folarin Balogun, for whom President Trump assembled a team of lawyers to get his red card in the Bosnia and Herzegovina game overturned? Balogun stood just outside the D as a spectator, watching Belgium score four.

The only real chance Balogun had came in the second half. He broke through the Belgium defense and forced a save out of Courtois. The FIFA metric team rated his performance a mediocre 5.7.

Team USA as a whole didn’t perform as most had hoped. Aside from Tillman (6.8), everyone else in the starting eleven received ratings below 6. Freese and captain Tim Ream both got a 4.5 rating.

USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino gave a muted reaction to the defeat.

Now is not a moment to talk about that. I think now is a moment to see, to assess the tournament. You know, I’m sure in the next weeks we can start to talk if [U.S. Soccer] wants to talk.

Pochettino said after the game (H/T ESPN)

Pochettino’s contract is set to expire in the coming weeks. The front office reportedly spoke with the veteran coach about a possible extension. However, his future remains unclear.

He can return to club football or take a break. Before taking the USA job, Pochettino coached big clubs like Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, and Paris Saint-Germain. There’s a possibility that he could continue with Team USA.

I think we set the principles for the future to be very successful. I think we feel proud because … I think we’ll create something that is going to stay now in the federation and in this country.

Pochettino added

As for Belgium, they have a big quarterfinal fixture against Spain. The last time these two teams met was in a friendly back in 2015, which Spain won 2-0.

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