US and Belgium meet in World Cup knockout match at Lumen Field

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Updated 7:01 PM PDT, July 6, 2026SEATTLE (AP) — The United States’ hopes for a deep World Cup run at home ended when Charles De Ketelaere scored twice and assisted on another goal, helping Belgium expose the Americans’ defensive liabilities in a 4-1 win Monday night that earned a quarterfinal berth. While the U.S. was boosted by the presence of star forward Folarin Balogun, whose one-game red-card suspension was controversially lifted by FIFA, American defenders were at fault in a pair of first-half goals, and a gaffe by goalkeeper Matt Freese gave the Red Devils a third early in the second half. Second-half substitute Romelu Lukaku added Belgium’s final goal in the third minute of stoppage time.

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After a successful card trick that made Folarin Balogun’s suspension disappear, the United States will try to win back-to-back World Cup knockout games for the first time and reach its first quarterfinal since 2002. Coach Mauricio Pochettino figures to have his top-choice lineup available Monday when the Americans — ranked 17th in the world ahead of the tournament — face No. 9 Belgium in a rematch of the 2014 round of 16 game in Brazil, won 2-1 by the Red Devils in extra time. “They have a lot of players that can hurt you, and we have to be ready,” Christian Pulisic, the top American star, said Sunday.