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SEATTLE — The electricity was off the charts. Drums were beating. Red, white and blue smoke filled the Seattle streets. Decibels skyrocketed. “Enter Sandman,” “Free Bird” and “Take Me Home, Country Roads” had the patriotic juices flowing like Fourth of July was a weekend holiday.
From Pike Place Market to Lumen Field, Monday, July 6 was a full on party in Seattle. United States men’s national team supporters partied and readied for the next major step in its soccer growth. Whether it was a longtime supporter or hopping on the bandwagon, everyone was all in on it. The renewed American dream of World Cup glory – all happening right at home.
It wasn't long for that dream to turn into a nightmare – and one an entire nation couldn’t escape.
“Today wasn't a good day,” said midfielder Tyler Adams.
What was on the cusp of happening quickly turned into what could have been, with Belgium playing the bogeyman for millions of Americans that dared to fantasize about the U.S. becoming the next major player in soccer by eliminating the host nation in the round of 16 with a dominant 4-1 victory.
There. It only took 120 seconds for Belgium to put pressure on the American defense, and although it didn’t result in a score, there was a noticeable shift in the atmosphere. Like a “oh, this is serious” vibe.
Belgium only needed seven more minutes to affirm that thought, when Charles De Ketelaere turned the entire U.S. defense into an additional 11 spectators that just watched the Red Devils toy with the home team – and kick all of that enthusiasm right out of the stadium.
“We really started a poor way,” said coach Mauricio Pochettino.
You could feel the instant energy shift after Belgium’s first goal. Thousands of people suddenly stunned. Home teams give up the first score of a game all the time. It hardly results in a team getting rattled immediately.
This, however, was different. Belgium was tactically dominating the U.S. from the get-go. It was like the defense getting three straight sacks to force a punt, then the running back plowing over the star linebacker before the quarterback delivered a dot to an open receiver.
Just about whatever Belgium wanted to do, the U.S. was forced to succumb.
Then there was the glimmer of hope. Malik Tillman brought the jolt with another perfectly placed free kick to tie it up at 1-1. The energy is back. Here come the Americans with the dream still alive.
All for just 61 seconds – when De Ketelaere and company made all of USMNT look silly to retake the lead and suck the life out of the field once again.
The roughly final hour of action was just the U.S. and its fans desperately trying to find an ounce of juice, something – if anything – to bring the excitement back. Grasping at straws to not let the dream fade away.
Instead, it went into true nightmare fashion in the second half, when absolutely nothing went right; a major howler from goalkeeper Matt Freese put Belgium up 3-1 and cemented there would be no happy ending coming from this. Romelu Lukaku rubbed more salt in the wound in the third minute of stoppage time, just in case the night wasn’t tortuous enough.
“We did press. We put them in some difficulties,” said Belgium coach Rudi Garcia said. “The goalkeeper might have made a mistake because we pushed him to.”
Belgium’s pure dominance from the jump threw USMNT entirely off its game, and giving it a taste of its own medicine. What made the U.S. so successful through the round of 32 was how quickly the attack formed – and succeeded. Scoring first in all four matches, and doing it in the first half.
Then in one of its most important matches in its history, the U.S. never held the lead.
“We didn't see much of the pressing, the aggression, the passion that we saw in previous games,” said captain Tim Ream.
A lot can be made about how much of a disappointment the match was for the U.S., and a nation on the brink of a soccer breakthrough. But it’s not like it was entirely self-inflicted.
Belgium came into the tournament ranked in the top 10, and after a sluggish start to the tournament, found its rhythm just in time to power it to its third quarterfinal appearance in the past four World Cups. That momentum just made for a brilliant display that had USMNT unsure exactly how everything just fell apart.
“We gave them good chances or even half chances and they finished them,” Adams said. “It was just a little bit too easy today.”
Confusion for one side, and plenty to be happy about for another.
“We are highly satisfied tonight,” Garcia said.
For nearly four weeks, USMNT had a nation tucked into its red, white and blue covers, counting all the sheep that would be able to hoist a World Cup trophy in the great American dream.
All just for the Red Devils of Belgium to spoil it all with a nightmare that will surely keep the U.S. sleepless in Seattle.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What happened to USA? How American World Cup dream unraveled vs. Belgium
Continue reading...
From Pike Place Market to Lumen Field, Monday, July 6 was a full on party in Seattle. United States men’s national team supporters partied and readied for the next major step in its soccer growth. Whether it was a longtime supporter or hopping on the bandwagon, everyone was all in on it. The renewed American dream of World Cup glory – all happening right at home.
It wasn't long for that dream to turn into a nightmare – and one an entire nation couldn’t escape.
“Today wasn't a good day,” said midfielder Tyler Adams.
What was on the cusp of happening quickly turned into what could have been, with Belgium playing the bogeyman for millions of Americans that dared to fantasize about the U.S. becoming the next major player in soccer by eliminating the host nation in the round of 16 with a dominant 4-1 victory.
There. It only took 120 seconds for Belgium to put pressure on the American defense, and although it didn’t result in a score, there was a noticeable shift in the atmosphere. Like a “oh, this is serious” vibe.
Belgium only needed seven more minutes to affirm that thought, when Charles De Ketelaere turned the entire U.S. defense into an additional 11 spectators that just watched the Red Devils toy with the home team – and kick all of that enthusiasm right out of the stadium.
“We really started a poor way,” said coach Mauricio Pochettino.
You could feel the instant energy shift after Belgium’s first goal. Thousands of people suddenly stunned. Home teams give up the first score of a game all the time. It hardly results in a team getting rattled immediately.
This, however, was different. Belgium was tactically dominating the U.S. from the get-go. It was like the defense getting three straight sacks to force a punt, then the running back plowing over the star linebacker before the quarterback delivered a dot to an open receiver.
Just about whatever Belgium wanted to do, the U.S. was forced to succumb.
Then there was the glimmer of hope. Malik Tillman brought the jolt with another perfectly placed free kick to tie it up at 1-1. The energy is back. Here come the Americans with the dream still alive.
All for just 61 seconds – when De Ketelaere and company made all of USMNT look silly to retake the lead and suck the life out of the field once again.
The roughly final hour of action was just the U.S. and its fans desperately trying to find an ounce of juice, something – if anything – to bring the excitement back. Grasping at straws to not let the dream fade away.
Instead, it went into true nightmare fashion in the second half, when absolutely nothing went right; a major howler from goalkeeper Matt Freese put Belgium up 3-1 and cemented there would be no happy ending coming from this. Romelu Lukaku rubbed more salt in the wound in the third minute of stoppage time, just in case the night wasn’t tortuous enough.
“We did press. We put them in some difficulties,” said Belgium coach Rudi Garcia said. “The goalkeeper might have made a mistake because we pushed him to.”
Belgium’s pure dominance from the jump threw USMNT entirely off its game, and giving it a taste of its own medicine. What made the U.S. so successful through the round of 32 was how quickly the attack formed – and succeeded. Scoring first in all four matches, and doing it in the first half.
Then in one of its most important matches in its history, the U.S. never held the lead.
“We didn't see much of the pressing, the aggression, the passion that we saw in previous games,” said captain Tim Ream.
A lot can be made about how much of a disappointment the match was for the U.S., and a nation on the brink of a soccer breakthrough. But it’s not like it was entirely self-inflicted.
Belgium came into the tournament ranked in the top 10, and after a sluggish start to the tournament, found its rhythm just in time to power it to its third quarterfinal appearance in the past four World Cups. That momentum just made for a brilliant display that had USMNT unsure exactly how everything just fell apart.
“We gave them good chances or even half chances and they finished them,” Adams said. “It was just a little bit too easy today.”
Confusion for one side, and plenty to be happy about for another.
“We are highly satisfied tonight,” Garcia said.
For nearly four weeks, USMNT had a nation tucked into its red, white and blue covers, counting all the sheep that would be able to hoist a World Cup trophy in the great American dream.
All just for the Red Devils of Belgium to spoil it all with a nightmare that will surely keep the U.S. sleepless in Seattle.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What happened to USA? How American World Cup dream unraveled vs. Belgium
Continue reading...
