Belgium crush USA 4-1: Red Devils march on to quarter-final clash with Spain

Belgium dismantled the United States in the Round of 16 at the World Cup with a convincing 4-1 win. The Red Devils came out aggressive from the start, making it clear they weren’t there to sit back. From the opening whistle, Belgium controlled the midfield, winning second balls and forcing the Americans deep into their own half. Timothy Castagne and Youri Tielemans created early chances, but the opener came after nine minutes. Nicolas Raskin won the ball, delivered a pinpoint cross, and Charles De Ketelaere finished clinically. 0-1, a goal that set the tone for the match. Soon after, Amadou Onana had to leave the field injured, with Hans Vanaken coming on. The substitution gave the U.S. a lifeline: Malik Tillman scored from a free kick to level the score at 1-1. But Belgium struck back immediately. Leandro Trossard evaded his marker, whipped in a cross, and De Ketelaere headed home again. 1-2, his second of the night, restoring Belgium’s lead.

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At halftime, Belgium remained the more dangerous side. Raskin, Trossard, and Jeremie Lukaku kept probing, while the U.S. struggled to find effective options. It was a narrow lead, but Belgium held firm. In the second half, Vanaken extended the lead with a stunning long-range strike. After a long ball from De Ketelaere, Vanaken fired from distance into the top corner, making it 1-3. Shortly after, Jérémy Doku came on as a substitute, followed by Romelu Lukaku. In stoppage time, Lukaku latched onto the ball in the right corner and curled it into the far top corner. 1-4, the final nail in the U.S. coffin. Rudi Garcia had rolled the dice by starting without Kevin De Bruyne, Doku, and Lukaku. The gamble paid off: Raskin provided energy and aggression, Tielemans controlled the midfield, Trossard stretched play on the flanks, and Vanaken recovered from an early blunder to score. De Ketelaere was the standout performer, while Lukaku, despite coming off the bench, sealed the win. With this victory, Belgium advance to the quarterfinals to face Spain. The U.S. bow out on home soil without the breakthrough they sought. This 4-1 win sends a clear message: the Red Devils combine belief, aggression, and efficiency, ready for the next challenge.