Belgium crush US 4-1

SEATTLE:

The United States’ (US) 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 on Monday night that earned a quarterfinal berth.

While the US were 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 goalkeeper Matt Freese’s gaffe 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 after Chris Richards’ giveaway.

“Everyone saw from the beginning we didn’t connect with the game,” said US coach Mauricio Pochettino, who showed his frustration after Belgium’s second goal by kicking a rack in front of the bench, sending four water bottles flying. “It’s a process to learn. We need to assess that game and we need to see why we didn’t approach the game in the same way that (we approached) the rest of the World Cup.”

Malik Tillman tied the score 1-1 midway through the first half with his second free kick goal of the tournament, but the Americans conceded just 61 seconds after the ensuing kickoff.

All six CONCACAF nations have been eliminated, with the co-hosts US, Mexico and Canada falling in the round of 16. All quarterfinalists will come from Europe, Africa or South America, reinforcing the weakness of CONCACAF and Asia.