Belgium’s Red Devils face a challenging World Cup round of 16 match against host nation USA on Monday at Lumen Field in Seattle.
The American team, led by coach Mauricio Pochettino, is buoyed by overwhelming local support, with fans dreaming of a potential world title. The match against Belgium is perceived as a significant step towards achieving that ambition.
In Group D, the USA had little difficulty progressing. They began with a 4-1 win over Paraguay in Los Angeles, then secured qualification with a 2-0 victory over Australia in Seattle. Their final group-stage match saw a 3-2 defeat against Turkey while fielding a reserve squad.
In the round of 16, they defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in San Francisco, though striker Folarin Balogun’s red card means he will miss the clash with Belgium. Ricardo Pepi is expected to replace him in the attack.
The Americans have been based in Irvine, California, for most of the tournament, limiting their travel just like Belgium. They arrived in Seattle on Thursday and have been training at Washington University’s facilities, previously used by Senegal.
Confidence runs high as they prepare for the encounter.
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The two teams previously met in a friendly in March in Atlanta, a game Belgium won 5-2.
Pochettino’s USA side typically employs a high-energy 4-3-3 formation, aiming to dominate the midfield early in matches.
While strong in attack and midfield with players like Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie, their defence has vulnerabilities, as evident in their March defeat. Belgium’s goals came from Zeno Debast, Amadou Onana, Charles De Ketelaere, and substitute Dodi Lukebakio, who netted twice.
Monday’s match will mark the eighth meeting between the two nations. The USA has won only once, back in the 1930 World Cup opener in Montevideo, defeating Belgium 3-0.
The teams last clashed in a competitive fixture in the 2014 World Cup’s round of 16 in Brazil, where Belgium triumphed 2-1 after extra time, with goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku. Their iconic handshake celebration became a lasting memory of the tournament.
