USA vs. Belgium: A Major Moment for Soccer in America
The USA vs. Belgium match is key, offering the USA a chance to make a major statement on home turf. Kevin Walsh and Dan Sileo give their analysis and picks.
Video Transcript
Monday night, what are you expecting from Team USA, and how big a moment is that for soccer in America when they take on Belgium?
Man, y- you know, the thing is, and I, and I don't want to downplay what, what any team's accomplished by getting to this round, but because of the increased size of the tournament, winning a knockout stage game doesn't mean as much as it used to, right?
It, it's just there's more of them.
The com- you know, Bosnia is not a true knockout level team.
Belgium is the type of team that makes a statement.
And Belgium are so tricky because they've spent most of this tournament looking super underwhelming, and then they just turned it on, in that, you know, five-minute stretch against Senegal, and they win it with the penalty in extra time.
I think for the US, at minimum, you expect a competitive game.
But I don't think the odds makers are wrong with having such a close line.
We've seen home field matter a ton, right?
We saw Canada have the greatest performance in the history of their nation with the way they beat Qatar.
We are seeing Mexico get a lot of respect heading into a match with a powerhouse like England.
So for the US, the thing is, we talk about having three host nations.
Yeah, kinda.
There's really only one, right?
After Mexico plays today, this whole thing's back in the United States.
So for the US, the opportunity is bigger than anybody else to not only then beat Belgium here on US soil, but then think to yourselves, "Well, why not?
Why not?"
Right?
Do Spain or Portugal, who they would play the winner of, have they had moments of vulnerability enough where the US could believe, "Hey, we could knock one of those teams off," and then that becomes the crowning achievement of soccer here in this country.
So I am not, you know, guaranteeing a win.
I think we're all gonna be rooting.
I expect goals in the game.
How could you not?
defensively, neither one of these teams, I think, you know, inspire a ton of confidence.
But I'm, I'm, y- I'm a little nervous for it because it's such a big moment here undoubtedly.
Absolutely.
And plus they get some great news that they're gonna be full force in this game- Yeah on Monday night.
Absolutely.
Balogun getting the suspension kind of turned into a probation, if you will.
There is some precedent for this.
I know it's going to drive non-Americans crazy.
My take on that, too bad.
It's like, I don't know, what else do you want?
Like, it's good he gets to play.
And the US are gonna need goals in this game, and he's been their top goal scorer.
He has been consistently their biggest threat at the, at end of the pitch.
So, and I imagine from a betting perspective, Dan, the amount of Balogun to score bets now is the books are gonna very much not be, I think, all too pleased with this move.
Social media blowing up already.
It's rigged for the Americans- Yeah.
Right to move on.
So I mean, like you said, "Hey, eat it.
It's okay.
We're ready to rock on Monday night here."
Hey, can, can coaching really be that much of a difference here in what we're seeing?
I mean, they, like you said, Kev, to open this segment up, that's the best I've ever seen them play.
To me, it's always been like rooting for NC State, you know, the 17th or 18th best college football team in the country.
Mm-hmm.
And that's what it's been like here.
But i- has it really just been coaching that has been the difference here with this US men's team?
I don't think it's the only thing, but I think it matters.
And the more, you know, I try and, and listen to not just people talk about this tournament, but, you know, other leagues and the way this game is ev- evolves, these coaches matter, you know, these managers more and more.
You know, the dominance that a guy like Pep Guardiola had at Manchester City, a lot of that, yes, there's great players, but it's about Pep.
People who have picked Brazil to win this tournament.
Yes, there are great players, right?
And we talk about Vinicius Jr., but it's Carlo Ancelotti and his 100 Champions League trophies it feels like he has lifted here.
So for Pochettino, who had a, you know, a great run at Tottenham, struggled to find footing elsewhere, but he really does feel like the guy.
And that, I think, is nice to be able to kind of put your eggs in that basket, if you will, because whether Balogun played or not, whether Pulisic was healthy or not, there is this confidence that you have that Because it's hard to enter a game, even with a team like Belgium, and think, "Hey, w- you know, we're on even footing here."
It's not outrageous if the United States enters this match against Belgium and thinks, "Well, we have the edge at manager."
We're, we're, you know, that check, we, we do it a lot of times in the NFL, right?
Where it's like coach, quarterback, defense, you know, check who's got the advantage.
The US probably do have the edge on that, you know, aspect of this game on Monday night.
