Article by Daniel Grigore – Published Sunday, March 29, 2026, 08:07 / Updated Sunday, March 29, 2026 08:07
The national team of the United States of America lost the friendly game played last night in Atlanta (Georgia), 2-5 with Belgium, with a stinging score.
One of the Americans' last tests before hosting the World Championship ended badly.
Mauricio Pochettino used many of the basic men, having Timothy Weah (Marseille), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Johnny Cardoso (Atletico Madrid), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan) and Folarin Balogun (Monaco) start, but the American national team could not keep up with the Belgians led by Kevin De Bruyne.
The Americans, crushed by the Belgian national team two and a half months before the WC
This even though Mauricio Pochettino's team did not play badly in the first half, scoring as many shots as the opponents (4), even leading 2-0 in the big chances chapter. The Americans also opened the score with Weston McKennie in the 39th minute, but they collapsed starting in the 45th minute.
first, Zeno Debast equalized for the Belgians, because in the first quarter of an hour after the restart, Amadou Onana ('53) and By Ketelaere ('59, from the penalty), to bring the score to 1-3.
Jeremy Doku was a real “nuisance” on the Americans' right flank, terrorizing Timothy Weah, the reshaped right-back, and Toulouse stopper Mark McKenzie.
The score took on stinging proportions after his 'double' Dodi Lukebakio ('68, '82), and the table was closed by Patrick Agyemang.
The striker registered at Derby County will hope that this success will increase his chances of being part of the World Cup squad. It would be his first appearance in a major final tournament.
Pochettino does not seem worried about the prospect of the World Cup
“It's good to feel pain sometimes. It's true that we lost 2-5 and in these conditions you can't say anything that will convince people to see things positively, but I think there are a lot of positive things that we see in the dressing room. It's better that these kind of results happen now,” commented coach Mauricio Pochettino.
As for the conduct of the game, the Argentine's conclusion is that “we weren't aggressive enough”, but assures that “it's just a game, a game in which nothing went for us”.
USA – Belgium, starting teams:
USA (4-2-3-1): Turner – T. Weah, McKenzie, Ream, A. Robinson – Cardoso, Tessmann – McKennie, Tillman, Pulisic – Balogun
They played before: Roldan, Arfsten, Berhalter, Freeman, G. Reyna, Pepi, Agyemang, Scally
coach: Mauricio Pochettino
BELGIUM (4-2-3-1): Lammens – Meunier, Debast, Mechele, De Cuyper – Raskin, A. Onana – Saelemaekers, De Bruyne, Doku – De Ketelaere
They played before: Seys, Openda, De Winter, Ngoy, Lukebakio, Godts, Witsel, Castagne, De Cat, Tielemans
coach: Rudi Garcia
On Tuesday evening (Wednesday in Romania, 02:00), also in Atlanta, the USA will receive the visit of Portugal for the last training match of this international window.
Belgium remains in North America, going to play in Chicago, with the national team of Mexico, also on Tuesday evening (in Romania on Wednesday, 04:00).
June 13,04:00, is the date of the first match for the Americans at the World Championship, against Paraguay
