Belgium crush USA to book World Cup quarter-final clash with Spain

Belgium produced a dominant display to end the United States' FIFA World Cup campaign with
a convincing 4-1 victory on Monday, securing a place in the quarter-finals against Spain.
Charles De Ketelaere starred with a brace, while Hans Vanaken capitalised on a costly
goalkeeping error before substitute Romelu Lukaku sealed the emphatic win in the second half.
The match had been overshadowed by controversy after FIFA overturned the one-match
suspension of US striker Folarin Balogun following lobbying by US President Donald Trump.
However, Balogun struggled to make an impact as Belgium outclassed the tournament co-hosts
at Seattle's Lumen Field.
The defeat ended the USA's hopes of reaching the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in
24 years, bringing an end to a campaign that had captured the imagination of home supporters.
Belgium captain Youri Tielemans said the controversy surrounding Balogun had motivated the
team, adding that the players agreed to respond with their performance on the pitch.
US coach Mauricio Pochettino admitted his side failed to produce the standard they had shown
throughout the tournament, describing the defeat as a poor collective and individual
performance.
Belgium took the lead through De Ketelaere after nine minutes before Malik Tillman equalised in
the 31st minute with a deflected free-kick. However, Belgium quickly regained control and
powered to a comfortable victory to reach the last eight.