Tim Howard performed heroics to force extra time, but Belgium eventually broke USA 2-1 and will face Argentina in the quarters.
Tim Howard performed heroics to force extra time, but Belgium eventually broke USA 2-1 and will face Argentina in the quarters.
The Red Devils had won every game so far, even though all four of their goals were scored in the last 20 minutes. Steven Defour was suspended, Anthony Vanden Borre and Thomas Vermaelen injured, but Vincent Kompany shook off a knock to start. Jozy Altidore was still not fit enough to start after a hamstring strain in the opening match, but Cameron was a surprise pick in midfield.
Divock Origi was given a rare start and the 19-year-old almost netted after 40 seconds, forcing Tim Howard to stick out a foot to parry. USA rallied and Clint Dempsey’s effort was saved after good work from ex-Roma midfielder Michael Bradley.
Graham Zusi was caught in possession, but Kevin De Bruyne scuffed the finish wide, then Jan Vertonghen’s roll across for Marouane Fellaini was crucially intercepted by DaMarcus Beasley.
Bad news for USA, as Fabian Johnson pulled up with a muscular problem and hobbled off for DeAndre Yedlin. The substitute sparked a fine counter-attack only for Zusi to horribly scuff the shot.
After the restart Howard flicked a Dries Mertens looping header out from under the bar and both De Bruyne and Origi just failed to get the final touch as a Vertonghen cross flashed across the face of goal.
Belgium were piling on the pressure in the second half and Origi’s header thumped the top of the crossbar with Howard well beaten. Vertonghen’s audacious volley wasn’t far off target, but at the other end Zusi’s shot was deflected in the box.
Mertens turned just wide on an Origi assist and the 19-year-old was again denied by Howard’s outstretched legs. Dempsey fired at Thibaut Courtois when he perhaps should’ve passed to Alejandro Bedoya, but Howard again came to the rescue with a toe turning the Mirallas angled just past the far post and beat away an Eden Hazard curler.
Matt Besler went in with a decisive block on Daniel Van Buyten, then Howard punched an Origi effort over the bar and Hazard hit the side-netting. Kompany went forward on the counter and mis-hit his shot so it bounced off his own knee, but Howard still managed to parry.
There was drama in stoppages, as Chris Wondolowski ballooned over the bar from point-blank range. His blushes were saved by the offside flag, though replays show he was certainly not in an offside position.
It went to extra time in Salvador de Bahia. Romelu Lukaku came on and immediately shrugged off Besler to set up De Bruyne, who scored at the second time of asking with an angled drive.
Vertonghen wasted another dangerous counter, while Howard twice denied the fresh Lukaku and Mirallas. Jones was a fitness doubt for this game with a broken nose, which won’t have been helped when De Bruyne accidentally smashed the ball into his face from point-blank range.
Belgium have scored more goals with substitutes than any other team in this World Cup and Lukaku added to that tally. He ran on to a De Bruyne assist from the left and smashed his finish into the near top corner.
However, straight into the second period of extra time America got back into it, as substitute Julian Green got in front of Toby Alderweireld and volleyed in.
USA had hope again and moments later Jones skimmed the woodwork with a half-volley, while Howard used his ankle to parry after Lukaku turned two defenders inside out.
It was now USA pouring forward and a brilliantly-worked Bradley free kick eventually arrived at Dempsey, Courtois forced to rush off his line to block. Yedlin pulled across for Wondolowski, who got the ball caught in his feet, then Yedlin got cramp as he went to volley at the back post. It was a heroic fightback, but Belgium held on.
Belgium 2-1 USA aet
Scorers: De Bruyne 93 (B), Lukaku 105 (B), Green 107 (U)
Belgium: Courtois; Alderweireld, Van Buyten, Kompany, Vertonghen; Fellaini, Witsel; Mertens (Mirallas 60), De Bruyne, E Hazard (Chadli 111); Origi (Lukaku 91)
USA: Howard; Johnson (Yedlin 32), Besler, Gonzalez, Beasley; Bedoya (Green 106), Cameron, Bradley, Jones, Zusi (Wondolowski 73); Dempsey
Ref: Haimoudi (ALG)