Belgium end USA's home World Cup dream as Balogun controversy fails to save hosts

Belgium ended the United States’ hopes of a home World Cup triumph, eliminating the hosts at the last-16 stage with a dominant victory sealed by goals from Charles De Ketelaere and Romelu Lukaku.

The match was overshadowed before kick-off by the extraordinary intervention of US President Donald Trump, who moved to suspend a red-card ban on Folarin Balogun, allowing the Monaco striker to take his place in the crucial knockout fixture. Despite the political controversy surrounding his inclusion, Balogun’s presence was not enough to spare the hosts from defeat.

Belgium were clinical throughout, with De Ketelaere and Lukaku providing the goals that ended American hopes of progressing in front of their own supporters — a result that will sting deeply given the significance of hosting the tournament.

Elsewhere in the last-16, Spain edged past Portugal 1-0 in a tightly contested Iberian derby, with Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino scoring the decisive goal deep into stoppage time in the 91st minute to settle the tie.

Belgium will now advance to the quarter-finals, where they are scheduled to face Spain on 10 July — a heavyweight European clash that promises to be one of the standout fixtures of the tournament’s latter stages.