The Belgian national football team, the Red Devils, will play Team USA in Atlanta on Saturday evening at 20:30 Belgian time in their first of two friendly matches during their training camp in the United States.
Belgium manager Rudi Garcia views this as “a good test ahead of the World Cup.” The team is missing several key players due to injuries, including Romelu Lukaku, Thibaut Courtois, and Leandro Trossard. Captain Youri Tielemans has recently returned from injury. The situation presents an opportunity for other players to prove themselves.
In an agreement with US head coach Mauricio Pochettino, each team will be allowed to make 11 substitutions, divided over three substitution windows.
“We’re looking forward to playing in a packed stadium,” Garcia said during Friday’s press briefing. “We need these kinds of matches against non-European countries, like the USA and Mexico in a few days. Almost everyone will get a chance to play in one of these two matches.”
With just over two months to go before the World Cup, Garcia also plans to test tactical setups such as a three-man defence. During World Cup qualifiers, his preferred four-man defence had mixed results. Goalkeepers Senne Lammens and Matz Sels will each feature in one of the two friendlies.
This will be the seventh meeting between Belgium and the United States. The Americans have won only once — during the 1930 World Cup in Montevideo, where the USA beat Belgium 3-0. The two sides last met 12 years ago in the 2014 World Cup round of 16 in Brazil, where Belgium secured a 2-1 victory in extra time.
