Belgium brought the United States' World Cup dream to a brutal end on Monday, overwhelming the tournament co-hosts 4-1 in a commanding last-16 victory at Lumen Field in Seattle. The Red Devils will now face Spain in the quarterfinals.

Charles De Ketelaere was the standout performer, netting twice to put Belgium firmly in control, before Hans Vanaken and substitute Romelu Lukaku added further goals to complete a ruthless dismantling of the USA's hopes.

De Ketelaere fires Belgium ahead

Belgium broke the deadlock in the 9th minute through De Ketelaere, but the USA hit back when Malik Tillman's deflected free-kick drew the hosts level in the 31st minute. The American fightback, however, lasted barely two minutes.

De Ketelaere headed Belgium back in front in the 33rd minute, and from that point the contest was effectively over. Vanaken made it 3-1 in the 57th minute after goalkeeper Matt Freese gifted possession to Belgium — the USA custodian had charged far out of his penalty area in an ill-fated attempt to clear, only to be dispossessed on the spot.

Veteran striker Lukaku had the final word, adding a fourth deep into stoppage time to underline the scale of Belgium's dominance.

The Balogun controversy looms large

The match was played against a backdrop of considerable controversy. USA striker Folarin Balogun had been handed a one-game ban by FIFA, but the suspension was lifted following intervention lobbied for by US President Donald Trump — a development that drew widespread condemnation from across the football world.

Despite his reprieve, Balogun offered little on the night, cutting a peripheral figure throughout the knockout tie as Belgium's collective quality proved far superior.

For the United States, the defeat marks a painful end to a campaign that had captured the imagination of the host nation. The co-hosts had not reached a World Cup quarterfinal in 24 years, and that wait extends further still. Belgium, meanwhile, march on to face Spain — and they will arrive in confident mood.