Ruthless Belgium shows USMNT it must play complete game against top teams
The USMNT played a solid first half against the Belgians. It wasn't nearly enough.
ATLANTA — 39 minutes into Saturday’s match between the United States and Belgium, U. S. fullback Antonee Robinson whipped a corner into the box and found midfielder Weston McKennie, who volleyed home from close range.
USMNT fans filling Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta erupted as the home team took a 1-0 lead. Up to this point, the United States had played with the intensity and quality needed to keep up with one of the strongest teams in the world. “We started bad,” Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia said after the game.
“But it was also because USA was more aggressive than us. ” Belgium’s bad start didn’t last much longer. The USMNT allowed a goal just before the halftime whistle, then proceeded to let in two more just 15 minutes into the second half.
A brace from Belgian winger Dodi Lukébakio and a late goal from US striker Patrick Agyemang rounded out the scoring in a 5-2 Belgium win. The first-half performance and the second half performance were two different stories. In one half, the US stayed level with a top-ranked team.