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USMNT comes up short to Belgium in brutal 4-1 thrashing in World Cup Round of 16
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- USMNT comes up short to Belgium in brutal 4-1 thrashing in World Cup Round of 16
USMNT comes up short to Belgium in brutal 4-1 thrashing in World Cup Round of 16 appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
All three hosts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup are officially out of the tournament following the USMNT 's 4-1 loss to Belgium in the Round of 16 on Monday night.
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Going into the match, the U.S. had positive momentum after topping Group D and beating Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32. It marked their first win in the knockout stage since 2002, a step in the right direction.
They took on Belgium, which was a rematch from the Round of 16 duel back in the 2014 tournament in Brazil . Belgium won that game 2-1, a result that the U.S. wanted to get payback for.
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Unfortunately for the Americans, they suffered multiple defensive breakdowns as the Belgians made them pay for it. It involved two goals in the first half and another pair of scores in the second half, resulting in another Round of 16 exit for the U.S.
What's next for USMNT after Belgium loss
The USMNT has some hard self-reflecting to do after losing to Belgium. After having a lot of expectations and talent, all they have to show for it is another Round of 16 exit and a brutal loss to end the tournament.
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The U.S. finishes the tournament with three wins and two losses, scoring 12 goals and conceding eight times. They took down Paraguay 4-1, Australia 2-0 and Bosnia 2-0. However, they suffered losses to Turkiye and Belgium by 3-2 and 4-1 scores.
Folarin Balogun shined as the leading goalscorer in his first World Cup tournament, scoring three goals. Malik Tillman came next with two goals, while Giovanni Reyna and Auston Trusty scored one goal each.
The Americans might need to take a shift in direction with overall roster building. They look forward to Balogun's growth as a star striker while preparing for the qualifying cycle of the 2030 FIFA World Cup. That will mainly take place in Morocco , Spain and Portugal with Argentina , Paraguay and Uruguay having special matches for the 100th anniversary of the World Cup.
Related: Tim Ream thanks USMNT fans for support after World Cup loss to Belgium
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