Why not US? Because we were not good enough.
That is the simple answer. In the most anticipated game in U.S. soccer history, the Americans failed to match the moment, falling flat on their faces, spoiling a magical run with an embarrassing splat.
Belgium 4, USA 1.
This is a team that united the country. A team that played soccer with purpose, focus and offense, finally taking off the emergency brake so all of us on the fence had a reason to watch.
This is a team that finished with 10 men in a victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina and began Monday with 12 men, counting the red, white and blue draped fanatics at Lumen Field in Seattle.
And this was a team, for all of its progress, that was not ready for prime time.
It was a brutal reminder of the ground the U.S. still has to cover after falling to 1-5 all-time in the Round of 16.
Goalie Matt Freese had a brain freeze.
Defender Tim Ream got creamed.
And Christian Pulisic, Captain America, lost his shield, limping off with a right knee injury early in the second half, failing to live up to the generational hype.
Too bad for all those who defended FIFA’s decision to reinstate Folarin Balogun could not help USMNT’s defense. It was a mess.
Think of the Nuggets in Game 3 against the Timberwolves, and you are getting warm. The Americans could not apply pressure in the center of the field. They could not defend the crossers, long ball, or on the ball, and were fortunate to trail only 2-1 at halftime.
The Americans were passive and indecisive, reacting slowly to a Belgian squad that looked like it had used hydration breaks to keg-stand Red Bull.
The promising and talented Americans took a dive into soccer’s deep end and called for the lifeguard.
“Maybe the explanation is so easy,” USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino said. “It wasn’t our day.”
Two things can be true. We can be proud of this team for winning a knockout game, and stung by disappointment over this performance.
On home turf as a host country — let’s be real, that was a huge reason FIFA president Gianni Infantino granted Balogun amnesty — there was no excuse.
Everything was set up for the U.S. to play its best, and save for the last 20 minutes, it was anything but, as the Americans failed to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002.
If it were a basketball game, the U.S. would have had 20 turnovers in the first half. If it were a football game, the U.S. would have lost three fumbles. Forty-eight seconds in, I was counting the days to American football and the start of Broncos training camp.
Freese made a miraculous leaping save, but it was an indication that the U.S. was working on a dial-up connection in a game that required fiber optics.
Belgium broke through at the 9-minute mark.
Anyone want to clear the ball? Anyone? Chris Richards’ poor header set up a pass across the face of the goal for an easy score by Charles De Ketelaere.
If only briefly, the Americans punched back in what amounted to the highlight of the night. On a free kick, Malik Tillman booted a right-footed shot off a Belgian player’s head, causing it to knuckle and move like a backup slider as it fooled goalie Thibaut Courtois.
Two minutes later, Belgium secured a 2-1 lead as De Ketelaere outmuscled and flattened Ream on a header.
Pochettino booted a Powerade water carrier in disgust. It was one of the best kicks of the first half, as the Americans had one shot on goal.
Needing a jolt, a burst, anything to gain momentum, the Americans went the wrong direction.
In a play that captured how excruciatingly poor the U.S. played, Freese wandered out of his net to clear a long kick down the field. He inexplicably pumped-faked with his foot, and Hans Vanaken poked the ball away and whistled it past a stumbling, falling Ream.
Down 3-1 at the 57-minute mark, desperation replaced execution. The effort and energy improved, but the results did not. Beating Belgium required a flawless display on this canvas. The Americans splattered Ragu, and Belgium was exquisite.
They peppered the U.S. with shots and left the game salty.
The Belgian Red Devils posted on social media, “OVERTURN THIS.”
While the outside interference was a reprieve for the Americans, it was fuel for Belgium. Americans need not apologize for finally being good enough to benefit from FIFA’s corruption, but in the end, the decision worked against them.
First, FIFA’s handling of Balogun’s red card was shameful. But it is how this organization does business.
We all want to see them get the call right. And in this case, they did. There were breaches of protocol by the video assistant referee, using slow motion on a non-tackling play. No foul was called, and a second look led to a red card. The mistake opened a wound and exposed the flaw in the sport’s governing body.
There is no vehicle available for an appeal. That is what we were led to believe. Then, out of nowhere, Infantino declared Balogun eligible to play. His suspension was suspended.
Americans were right to feel good for the kid, but awful about how it all went down. Infantino admitted he took a call from President Trump, who requested that the matter be reviewed. Whether it was Trump, Obama, Clinton or Reagan, it is uncomfortable when politics bleed into sports.
In the end, all it did was make Belgium mad.
The U.S. picked a bad night to have a bad night. In front of a nation wanting its next Lake Placid, we were left with Lake Flaccid.
