Team USA struggled in the first half of their FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match against Belgium at Seattle Stadium. Belgium shocked the home crowd less than 10 minutes into the game when Charles De Ketelaere scored a close-range goal past US goalkeeper Matt Freese, silencing the sold-out stadium.

The US appeared to regain momentum when Malik Tillman scored a free kick in the 31st minute, replicating his previous Round of 32 performance against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Tillman's shot was deflected past Belgium's renowned goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

However, Belgium quickly regained the lead just two minutes later with De Ketelaere scoring again, this time with a header over veteran US defender Tim Ream.

Following Belgium's rapid double strike, US head coach Mauricio Pochettino expressed his frustration by kicking Powerade bottles on the sidelines. While he may express further frustrations in the locker room, it is clear that Pochettino will need to adjust tactics as Belgium held the momentum at halftime.

Sources