USMNT

USMNT Battles Belgium in High-Stakes World Cup Showdown: Live Score and Match Stats

7 Jul 2026 2 min read 0 views

The lead-up to the U.S. men's national team's showdown with Belgium has been dominated by a single talking point: FIFA's extraordinary decision to overturn Folarin Balogun's one-game ban, permitting him to take the field at Lumen Field.

The consequences of that ruling will reverberate for days, weeks, and even months ahead, which will unfortunately overshadow what has been a genuinely impressive campaign from the USMNT in the opening rounds of the 2026 World Cup.

Convincing victors against Paraguay and Australia in the group stage, Bosnia and Herzegovina was efficiently dispatched in a composed display from Mauricio Pochettino's squad—the modest 0.88 xG (expected goals) figure failing to capture just how firmly in command of both the game and their composure the Stars and Stripes truly were.

Belgium's group stage journey was turbulent, with the side only clinching their knockout berth via a victory over New Zealand in their final fixture, and Rudi Garcia's men appeared destined for elimination against Senegal after falling 2–0 behind. However, a stunning late revival, ignited in the 86th minute, saw the Red Devils net two rapid goals to force extra time.

Youri Tielemans then converted a decisive penalty five minutes into additional extra time to seal the win—that strike one of 19 attempts Belgium registered on Senegal's goal in a breathless encounter that will go down as one of the standout matches of this tournament.