Mauricio Pochettino expressed frustration early in the match on Monday night.
Following Belgium’s second goal in the World Cup round of 16, the coach of the U.S. men’s national team visibly lost his cool, kicking a Powerade bottle along the sideline as his team fell behind again. The spectacle caught the attention of spectators both in Seattle and at home, quickly spreading across social media.
After Folarin Balogun was fouled, the Stars and Stripes were awarded a free kick. Malik Tillman seized the chance, striking the ball into the net and leveling the score at 1-1 in the 31st minute.
However, that momentum didn’t last long.
Just two minutes later, Charles de Quetelaere managed to outjump Tim Ream and scored with a header past American goalkeeper Matt Freese, which was a significant blow to the United States. While they held their ground defensively to some extent, they seemed to struggle with their intensity in the first half.
This moment was a critical turning point for Pochettino.
The Americans had previously scored first in every game during this World Cup.
But that streak came to an end that night.
The U.S. team started off on the wrong foot, with Belgium taking an early lead in the 9th minute. After a well-executed pass, De Quetelaere found the net against the USA.
It’s fair to say that the uplifting vibe many American fans had experienced recently took a hit.
The USMNT has not advanced past the Round of 16 since 2002, which adds considerable pressure on Pochettino and his squad to change that narrative.
Moreover, the team had previously faced Belgium in the 2014 Round of 16, where they felt they exited too soon and would surely be looking for some degree of payback.
Nonetheless, hope remained for the Americans as they entered the second half trailing 2-1.
