Belgium defeated the United States 4-0 in the last‑16 match of the World Cup, with Romelu Lukaku scoring the decisive goal.
The victory followed a controversial decision to lift the suspension of striker Balogun, after an appeal that involved requests from the United States president.
The decision sparked accusations of corruption, but the US team was unable to capitalize on the opportunity, and Belgian players celebrated their triumph.
Belgium’s manager, Rudi Garcia, noted that the team felt confident and had a stronger squad than the United States, citing a better quality of opposition.
United States coach Mauricio Pochettino said the Balogun issue did not affect his team’s performance, but expressed disappointment over the political aspects of the controversy.
Belgium’s next match is a quarter‑final against Spain, following Spain’s recent win over Portugal.
