Belgium Knocks USA Out of World Cup 4-1 in Dominant Performance

Live updates: USA vs Belgium

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By Simon Smale

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Feels for Freese

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By Simon Smale

Have to feel a little bit sorry for Matt Freese.

The 27-year-old had a shocker for the third Belgian goal.

He is not the reason America lost today.

But it certainly didn't help.

It would have to be some phone call...

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By Simon Smale

It's not over yet. I think Trump is about to make a phone call!

- Paul

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You guys were very happy with that result...

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By Simon Smale

Belgium were great! Justice prevails and we move on.

- KB

Lovely to see that DT's shameful red card intervention & FIFA's capitulation came to nothing.

- Alex51

Lovely to see that DT's shameful red card intervention & FIFA's capitulation came to nothing.

- Justice is done!

Watching the love heart reaction numbers go up on ABC online. Surely there aren’t that many Belgians watching. You guys need a schadenfreude button!

- Drew

How does the saying go - Cheats never prosper !

- Mel

If Belgium win, the result will be the equivalent of the football gods saying “YOU SHALL NOT PASS!” to Balogun and the president who shall not be named…

- Jonathan

The number and speed of reactions on the latest Belgium goal post in the blog is a real indication of the USA sentiment in Australia and likely, around the world right now....

- Maria

FT: Belgium knocks the USA out

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By Simon Smale

And then there were none.

Belgium eliminated the last of the World Cup co-hosts, the USA, 4-1 with a dominant victory in Seattle.

With all the pre-match controversy relating to the inclusion of Florian Balogun, the USA barely laid a glove on the Belgians, who picked the Americans off at will.

Two goals from Charles de Ketelaere gave the Belgians a 2-0 lead, which the Americans halved against the run of play via a deflected freekick from Malik Tillman.

Hans Vanaken scored Belgium's third after a horror mistake by keeper Matt Freese, before Romelu Lukaku powered home a fourth in stoppage time to race into a quarterfinal contest against Spain.

Balogun, about whom so much had been made pre-game, was anonymous for long periods, only testing Courtois once late in the second half as the USA managed just two shots on target for the entire contest.

90+3' LUKAKU SEALS IT!

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By Simon Smale

SILENCE IN SEATTLE!

The USA loses the ball in a really rubbish position.

The ball falls to Lukaku on the edge of the penalty area, he takes a touch and slots the goal past Freese.

It is so easy for Lukaku.

It has been really quite easy for Belgium.

The USA have wilted under the pressure.

90+2' Junk time subs for the USA

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By Simon Smale

Balogun and Robinson are leaving the field.

I don't know the point of these changes.

Max Arfsten comes on.

90+1' Just four additional minutes

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By Simon Smale

Not enough time, I don't think.

Time running out for the USA

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By Simon Smale

89' Ch ch ch ch changes for Belgium

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By Simon Smale

Both teams ring the changes.

Alexis Saelemaekers comes on, so does Axel Witsel.

85' Chance Belgium!

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By Simon Smale

Doku links up with Lukaku.

He can't get a shot away and the ball drops out of a pack of players back to Doku, who lays the ball off to Trossard.

He cuts inside and shoots and the ball is powered into the head of Richards.

The USA survive.

82' Chance USA!

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By Simon Smale

The USA has a corner and the delivery is a good one, but the USA attackers are crowded out around the penalty area and Courtois made an easy stop.

81' CHANCE USA!

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By Simon Smale

Balogun races onto a long ball and gets one on one with Courtois in the Belgian goal.

He has not got much of an angle so goes for power and Courtois sticks out a big hand and stops the shot.

That's better from the Americans.

The crowd is really raising what amounts of a roof in Seattle.

That is only their second shot on target in the game though - they've just not offered anything like as much as they needed to.

The occasion has got to them.

80' USA crowd rises again

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By Simon Smale

Tim Ream loses it at the referee after Duku is hauled down by Weston McKennie.

It is very much a foul.

But the crowd is roaring its support and very much in the game again.

79' CHANCE USA!

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By Simon Smale

There you go!

Sebastian Berhalter with a drive of a shot from outside the area that flies just wide of the target.

That was a great chance for the USA after some nice work from Freeman.

He revs the crowd up after the shot, waving his arms to bring the crowd back into the contest.

Is there still time? They need to score soon, the USA.

75' Belgium challenge through Doku

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By Simon Smale

And he cannot believe he hasn't been given a corner there.

He's right, too. The American defender came across and kicked the ball away and behind.

VAR can rule if a corner has been given incorrectly, but not if a goal kick has been given incorrectly.

Because, reasons.

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Belgium came back from a similar position against Senegal

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By Simon Smale

Usa Are going to need a miracle, A Very massive miracle

- Arlo Wilkinson

As we have just been reminded on the SBS feed of this game, the Belgians were 2-0 down heading into this period of the match against Senegal.

They won 3-2 in extra time.

Miracle on grass? It's been done.

73' Another American sub

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By Simon Smale

Tyler Adams is off, Ricardo Pepi comes on in his place.

69' Yellow card to Malik Tillman

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By Simon Smale

He is booked after crashing into Youri Tielemans.

It's a crude, late challenge and the USA have to be careful they don't lower themselves to the acts of a frustrated team and get nasty here.

That brings up the TV time out.