RJ Hamster
SI:AM | Out With a Whimper
DAN GARTLAND
Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. I’m honestly shocked at how different the U.S. looked last night compared to the rest of the tournament.
In today’s SI:AM:
That was ugly
Kohjiro Kinno/Sports Illustrated
That’s the U.S. men’s national team we’re used to seeing.
The U.S.’s dream World Cup came to a screeching halt on Monday night with an embarrassing 4–1 loss to Belgium in the round of 16. The Americans were ineffective on offense and sloppy on defense. They never stood a chance.
⚽ Check out SI’s World Cup Daily
Belgium set the tone early with a goal in the ninth minute by Charles De Ketelaere, and every time it appeared the U.S. might be getting back in the game, Belgium answered. The U.S. drew level with a beautiful free-kick goal by Malik Tillman in the 31st minute, but then Belgium added another just a minute later (from De Ketelaere again). The Americans had a few good chances late in the first half to equalize but couldn’t put them home. They had an energetic start to the second half, but then any hope of a U.S. comeback was effectively squashed when a horrendous blunder by American goalie Matt Freese led to a third Belgium goal in the 57th minute. Veteran Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku rubbed salt in the wound with an exclamation mark of a goal in stoppage time.
It was a horribly disappointing way for this team’s previously promising World Cup to end. The confident, talented team that had played so well earlier in the tournament was nowhere to be found, replaced instead by a bumbling, error-prone squad that was thoroughly outclassed by its opponent. CONTINUE DAN’S COLUMN ON SI
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Chadd Cady/Imagn Images
👀 The top five …
… things I saw yesterday:
5. A nice defensive play by Rockies reliever Jimmy Herget to escape a jam in the 10th. (Herget gave up a walk-off single to the Dodgers’ Dalton Rushing in the 11th, though.)
4. Geraldo Perdomo’s homer where he swung so hard his helmet came off.
3. Natisha Hiedeman’s slick shot to beat the shot clock.
2. Malik Tillman’s free-kick goal, his second in as many games.
1. Ferran Torres’s perfect pass to set up Mikel Merino’s game-winning goal for Spain.
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