MUNDIAL·26

Round of 16 · Tuesday, July 7 · Seattle Stadium, Seattle · 66,925 in the stands

kickoff 17:00 local · 28°C · 40% humidity

USA

31′ Malik TILLMAN (pen)

1:4

Belgium

0′ Charles DE KETELAERE (pen)

33′ Charles DE KETELAERE (pen)

57′ Hans VANAKEN (pen)

90+3′ Romelu LUKAKU (pen)

tap a player for their match file

USA4-3-3
Belgium4-2-3-1
Matt FREESE4.4Sergino DEST6.2Chris RICHARDS5.6Antonee ROBINSON5.7Tim REAM5.0Alex FREEMAN6.5Tyler ADAMS5.4Weston McKENNIE5.8Malik TILLMAN7.2Christian PULISIC5.8Folarin BALOGUN6.6Thibaut COURTOIS6.0Brandon MECHELE6.0Maxim DE CUYPER6.5Timothy CASTAGNE7.1Nathan NGOY6.9Youri TIELEMANS6.3Nicolas RASKIN7.4Amadou ONANA6.5Leandro TROSSARD7.7Dodi LUKEBAKIO6.3Charles DE KETELAERE9.8
from the bench

match pulse — xG per 5 minutes · goals · cards

45′90′USABEL

goals — hover the strip for every shot and card, with names

  • 9′De Ketelaere0.77 xG
  • 31′Tillman0.07 xG
  • 33′De Ketelaere0.32 xG
  • 57′Vanaken0.08 xG
  • 90+3′Lukaku0.04 xG
USA 0:0 BEL0'kickoff
1' Trossard — xG 0.02 · Blocked1' Tielemans — xG 0.05 · Blocked1' Castagne — xG 0.03 · Saved2' De Ketelaere — xG 0.02 · Saved8' Tielemans — xG 0.29 · Missed9' De Ketelaere — xG 0.77 · Goal14' Trossard — xG 0.03 · Missed31' Tillman — xG 0.07 · Goal33' De Ketelaere — xG 0.32 · Goal39' Raskin — xG 0.08 · Saved43' Lukébakio — xG 0.13 · Missed45' Freeman — xG 0.06 · Missed45' Balogun — xG 0.26 · Missed45 + 4' Lukébakio — xG 0.02 · Missed57' Vanaken — xG 0.08 · Goal62' Trossard — xG 0.05 · Blocked66' Freeman — xG 0.02 · Missed79' Berhalter — xG 0.06 · Missed82' Balogun — xG 0.08 · Saved83' Balogun — xG 0.09 · Missed86' Trossard — xG 0.06 · Blocked90 + 3' Lukaku — xG 0.04 · Goal

▶ Watch every shot in 3D⟲ Replay the match

The xG race — cumulative expected goals, minute by minute

USA 0:0 BEL
1.02.00′15′30′45′60′75′90′9' De Ketelaere — GOAL31' Tillman — GOAL33' De Ketelaere — GOAL57' Vanaken — GOAL90 + 3' Lukaku — GOAL0.641.99

On paper vs as played — formation sheet vs heatmap reality

USA 4-3-3 attack →, ← BEL 4-2-3-1 attack. The teamsheet, as announced.

24Matt FREESEMatt FREESE2Sergino DESTSergino DEST3Chris RICHARDSChris RICHARDS5Antonee ROBINSONAntonee ROBINSON13Tim REAMTim REAM16Alex FREEMANAlex FREEMAN4Tyler ADAMSTyler ADAMS8Weston McKENNIEWeston McKENNIE17Malik TILLMANMalik TILLMAN10Christian PULISICChristian PULISIC20Folarin BALOGUNFolarin BALOGUN1Thibaut COURTOISThibaut COURTOIS4Brandon MECHELEBrandon MECHELE5Maxim DE CUYPERMaxim DE CUYPER21Timothy CASTAGNETimothy CASTAGNE25Nathan NGOYNathan NGOY8Youri TIELEMANSYouri TIELEMANS23Nicolas RASKINNicolas RASKIN24Amadou ONANAAmadou ONANA10Leandro TROSSARDLeandro TROSSARD14Dodi LUKEBAKIODodi LUKEBAKIO17Charles DE KETELAERECharles DE KETELAERE

The duel — team data, FIFA tracking included

51%
Possession
40%
0.33
Expected goals
1.99
63
Threat
37
7
Shots
15
2
On target
7
483
Passes completed
340
41
Forced turnovers
48
13.2s
Ball recovery time
17.0s
7.97
High-press phases
2.81
9
Fouls committed
11
0
Offsides
1
119 km
Distance covered
118 km
35.6 km/h
Top speed
33.7 km/h

Territory — where each team lived

Every player's heatmap, minutes-weighted and stacked per team. USA attack →, ← Belgium attack. Brighter is more presence; where the colors meet is the contested ground.

How it happened

  1. 0′Charles DE KETELAERE (Belgium) scores!!
  2. 21′Hans VANAKEN (in) comes off the bench to replace Amadou ONANA (out) (Belgium)
  3. 31′Malik TILLMAN (USA) scores!!
  4. 33′Charles DE KETELAERE (Belgium) scores!!
  5. 35′Weston McKENNIE (USA) is booked by the referee.
  6. ′Before the second half begins Giovanni REYNA (in) comes off the bench to replace Sergino DEST (out) (USA)
  7. 57′Hans VANAKEN (Belgium) scores!!
  8. 59′Sebastian BERHALTER (in) comes off the bench to replace Christian PULISIC (out) (USA)
  9. 67′Romelu LUKAKU (in) comes off the bench to replace Charles DE KETELAERE (out) (Belgium)
  10. 67′Jeremy DOKU (in) comes off the bench to replace Dodi LUKEBAKIO (out) (Belgium)
  11. 69′Malik TILLMAN (USA) is booked by the referee.
  12. 72′Ricardo PEPI (in) comes off the bench to replace Tyler ADAMS (out) (USA)
  13. 89′Alexis SAELEMAEKERS (in) comes off the bench to replace Leandro TROSSARD (out) (Belgium)
  14. 89′Axel WITSEL (in) comes off the bench to replace Nicolas RASKIN (out) (Belgium)
  15. 90+2′Haji WRIGHT (in) comes off the bench to replace Folarin BALOGUN (out) (USA)
  16. 90+2′Max ARFSTEN (in) comes off the bench to replace Antonee ROBINSON (out) (USA)
  17. 90+3′Romelu LUKAKU (Belgium) scores!!

The morning-after column · AI-written from the match data

De Ketelaere Dismantles American Press

Belgium came to Seattle with a plan that disdained possession: sit deep in their 4-2-3-1, absorb USA's aggressive pressing—eight high-press phases—and break with ruinous intent. It worked from the ninth minute. After missing a gilt-edged chance moments prior, they struck instantly and never relinquished the initiative. USA pressed relentlessly through Malik Tillman and company, forcing 41 turnovers. But Belgium's shape proved impervious. The expected-goals gulf told the tale: Belgium 1.99, USA 0.33 from an evening when the home side simply could not convert their chaos into goals.

Charles de Ketelaere's extraordinary evening—a 9.8 rating—was the architect. He orchestrated Belgium's 15 shots to USA's seven, seven on target against two. They found the net five times from an xG of 1.99, with clinical finishing. USA equalized improbably at 31 on 0.07 xG, likely a deflection. Two minutes later Belgium restored order. When USA crafted a genuine chance at 45 (0.26 xG), they were already two down and chasing futilely—Belgium extended to 3-1 at 57 and finished 4-1 in injury time.

Belgium's finishing was ruthless: five goals from seven on-target shots versus USA's one from two, the gulf of clinical precision.

33′

De Ketelaere restored Belgium's lead, breaking USA's momentum and ending narrative uncertainty.

What USA needed

Eight high-press phases created turnovers but Belgium's shape proved impervious.

  • Forced 41 turnovers with eight high-press phases but failed to disrupt Belgium's 4-2-3-1 shape—needed tighter compactness.
  • Missing the big chance at 45 minutes (0.26 xG) while trailing 2-1 was fatal; that was the moment to close the gap.
  • Only 2 shots on target from 7 attempts despite 51% possession; lacked clinical finishing against Belgium's ruthlessness.

What Belgium needed

De Ketelaere's brilliance and clinical finishing proved decisive; the 33rd-minute response killed momentum.

  • Charles de Ketelaere's 9.8 rating orchestrated a masterclass across every phase, deciding this match conclusively.
  • Five goals from 1.99 xG with 40% possession showed ruthless efficiency; survived USA's possession advantage potentially disrupting rhythm.
  • The 33rd-minute response after USA's equalizer restored control and ended any momentum shift toward the home side.