Team USA was confident after beating Paraguay and Australia in Group D, but narrowly lost to Turkey after rotating much of its starting lineup. They responded immediately in the last 32, beating Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0, continuing an encouraging campaign under Mauricio Pochettino, who is trying to lead the United States into the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2002.
The route in Belgium is far less straightforward. The Red Devils started with draws against Egypt and Iran before beating New Zealand 5-1 to qualify from Group G. The Red Devils faced Senegal in the round of 32 in one of the most dramatic games of the World Cup, with Rudi Garcia’s side tying the score after two goals down late in regulation before claiming a stunning 3-2 victory in extra time.
Nonetheless, attention has been diverted away from football following FIFA’s decision to suspend Balogun’s automatic one-match ban. The striker was sent off in the win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, but FIFA later cited Article 27 of its disciplinary code to suspend the penalty for a year, allowing him to continue playing against Belgium. The decision drew immediate criticism from Belgium, with the Belgian Football Association protesting but FIFA refusing, while Garcia said the situation was incomprehensible.
Balogun’s availability is especially important given his importance to the U.S. offense. The striker scored three goals in the game, while Christian Pulisic continued to lead the team creatively alongside midfielders Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie. Belgium, meanwhile, still have one of the deepest squads in the competition, with Kevin De Bruyne orchestrating the attack behind Romelu Lukaku, while Jeremy Doku, Youri Tielemans and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois provide further elite experience.
History also favors Belgium. The Europeans have won six of their last seven meetings, including a 5-2 friendly win earlier this year. The most memorable encounter took place at the 2014 World Cup, when Belgium beat the United States 2-1 after extra time, despite one of the greatest goalkeeping performances in World Cup history from Tim Howard.
Team USA is hoping that home support in Seattle will help them finally reverse that trend. Belgium, meanwhile, aims to prove that it remains one of the world’s elite after a famous golden generation of rebuilding. With a place in the quarter-finals hanging in the balance, the stage was set for a decisive game in the last 16 in a match already sparking controversy before kick-off.
