Charles De Ketelaere scored twice as Belgium outclassed the co-hosts in Seattle, advancing to face Spain in the quarter-finals despite pre-match political backlash over Folarin Balogun’s reinstated eligibility
Belgium crushed the United States 4-1 at Seattle Stadium on Monday, completely outclassing the co-hosts on American soil to advance to the quarter-finals amid intense pre-match political controversy surrounding US striker Folarin Balogun.
US forward Balogun was expected to be suspended following a red card in the Round of 32, but in an unprecedented move, FIFA overturned the ban, sparking a massive sporting and political backlash from the Belgian federation.
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Belgium opened the scoring in the 9th minute when Charles De Ketelaere tapped home a cross from Nicolas Raskin. The USA temporarily restored hope when Malik Tillman’s direct free-kick took a heavy deflection past Thibaut Courtois in the 31st minute. However, the 1-1 tie lasted fewer than two minutes before De Ketelaere climbed above Tim Ream to head Belgium back in front.
A disastrous breakdown by US goalkeeper Matt Freese in the 57th minute saw him tackled in no-man’s-land, allowing Hans Vanaken to clinically fire home from distance. Romelu Lukaku, coming off the bench, punished a late defensive mistake from Chris Richards in stoppage time to complete the 4-1 rout.
Belgium finished with 13 shots, seven on target, while the United States managed 10 shots, three on target. Belgian possession stood at 54 percent compared to the US’s 46 percent.
The victory mirrors the 2014 World Cup Round of 16, where Belgium also eliminated the USMNT from the tournament. Belgium now holds six wins in seven meetings against the United States.
According to a report by Accra Street Journal, Belgium moves on to face Spain in a highly anticipated quarter-final matchup.
Source: Accra Street Journal
Last Updated on July 7, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
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Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
