SEATTLE, United States- Belgium advanced to the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals after a commanding 4-1 victory over the United States in Seattle, ending the hosts’ tournament run in a match overshadowed by controversy surrounding striker Folarin Balogun.
Charles De Ketelaere scored twice as Belgium produced a clinical attacking display, while Hans Vanaken and Romelu Lukaku also found the net to seal the European side’s place in the last eight.
Germany-born midfielder Malik Tillman briefly restored hope for the United States by levelling the scores in the 31st minute, but Belgium regained control and capitalised on defensive errors to secure a comfortable victory.
Vanaken scored after a mistake by United States goalkeeper Matt Freese, while Lukaku added a fourth goal in stoppage time following another defensive lapse.
The defeat made the United States the last of the World Cup co-hosts to exit the tournament.
Belgium will now face Spain in the quarterfinals in Los Angeles on Friday, July 10.
Balogun decision sparks controversy
The build-up to the match was dominated by FIFA’s decision to overturn a suspension that would have ruled United States striker Folarin Balogun out of the last-16 clash.
Balogun started the match but failed to make a significant impact as the American attack struggled against Belgium’s defence.
The controversy intensified after United States President Donald Trump confirmed he had spoken to FIFA President Gianni Infantino regarding Balogun’s red card, which would ordinarily have resulted in a suspension.
FIFA later announced that the disciplinary sanction had been suspended for one year, allowing the striker to feature against Belgium.
The decision prompted criticism because FIFA’s statutes prohibit political or government interference in football governance. The organisation has previously sanctioned national football associations over government involvement, including suspending Kuwait and Indonesia from qualifying competitions ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
FIFA rejects political influence claims
Responding to the criticism, Infantino maintained that the decision was made independently by FIFA’s disciplinary committee and was not influenced by his conversation with Trump.
“During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process,” Infantino said in a statement.
He added that FIFA’s judicial bodies operate independently and that the governing body’s disciplinary procedures had been followed.
Trump also denied influencing the outcome, saying he had merely requested that the incident be reviewed.
Belgium’s football association appealed FIFA’s decision to clear Balogun for the match, but the appeal was rejected.
The ruling has since drawn criticism from several football stakeholders, including UEFA, national football associations and prominent figures within the sport, who questioned whether the decision was consistent with FIFA’s regulations on disciplinary independence.
