Rampant Belgium deliver 5-2 embarrassment to USMNT in worrying World Cup tune-up
Dodi Lukebakio scored Belgium’s fourth goal of the afternoon. Photograph: Kevin C Cox/Getty Images The US men’s national team entered its matchup with Belgium at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Saturday riding a wave of momentum, needing a solid performance to continue to build excitement ahead of this Summer’s World Cup, played in part on home soil. Instead, they struggled mightily against a talented Belgium side and left with more questions than answers.
The 5-2 defeat, featuring five straight goals for the Belgians after a US opener, was an embarrassment and easily among the USMNT’s worst losses of head coach Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure. At times, it felt the margin of victory could’ve been significantly wider. Related: Live – USMNT 2-5 Belgium – Ludebakio double leads Belgian romp over World Cup hosts Things are not about to get any easier for the US, who will face Portugal on Tuesday evening.
Both teams entered Saturday’s match on a run of good form, with the US unbeaten in their past five matches and Belgium unbeaten in nine. In the absence of center backs Chris Richards and Miles Robinson, Pochettino altered his starting lineup, pairing US captain Tim Ream with Mark McKenzie; Antonee Robinson filled his usual left back spot while Tim Weah filled the right back spot that he often has with Marseille. Maybe most surprisingly, New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner started for the first time in nearly a year, supplanting Matt Freese, US coach Mauricio Pochettino’s favored choice as of late.
Turner and Weah both faced difficulty on Saturday, with Turner in part responsible for Belgium’s first goal and Weah consistently struggling to contain Manchester City winger Jérémy Doku, who on Saturday was Belgium’s most dangerous player. In Rudi Garcia’s Belgium, the USMNT faced arguably their toughest opponent of the Pochettino era. Though missing regulars like all-time leading scorer Romelu Lukaku and Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, the ninth-ranked Red Devils are an undeniably tall task for the US, who are looking to test themselves against the types of teams they might face in the knockout round of this summer’s World Cup.
Weston McKennie’s opening strike came in the 39th minute as he did what he often does, arriving just in time on a well-worked set piece. Fulham defender Antonee Robinson’s well-placed corner kick found the Juventus midfielder inside the six yard box, and McKennie’s leaping, right-footed effort gave the US the lead just before half-time. That lead wouldn’t last til the break, though.
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