USA's World Cup Campaign Ends in Disarray
Full-time in Seattle on Monday brought an end to the Geopolitics World Cup's three-day hostmageddon, with the USA USA USA routed 4-1 by Belgium. The defeat followed a weekend of controversy: Canada thunked 3-0 by Morocco on Saturday, and Mexico Helm's-Deeped 3-2 by England on Sunday. For the host nation, the feelgood factor was destroyed before kick-off.
The Balogun Ban Controversy
Folarin Balogun was sent off in the last 32 against Bosnia and Herzegovina, a dubious decision made after a VAR review that triggered an automatic one-match ban. President Donald Trump phoned Fifa three times asking for the ban not to be imposed in the last 16. According to Fifa, these calls had no impact at all on the ban not being imposed. So Balogun, scorer of three goals in four games, was able to line up against Belgium.
The rest of the sport was on fire with opprobrium, the final crumbs of Gianni Infantino's credibility incinerated, a war of words between Fifa and Uefa bursting into flame. It was hard not to feel sorry for the home fans, their likeable and entertaining team suddenly made hired goons for a couple of clowning presidential supervillains.
On-Field Performance Falls Flat
The correct star-spangled response would have been to swagger into Seattle with superpower certainty, the rest of the football world's salty tears fuelling a turbo-charged flag-waving demolition job of this creaking, rickety Belgium side. Instead, the feelgood factor destroyed, they simply failed to turn up. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino was the only member of the squad showing requisite passion, furiously hoofing a loaded case of bright blue hydration-break juice after his side had immediately wasted a slice of good fortune with their equaliser at 1-1 by conceding again within seconds.
The obvious conclusion is that the whole episode had a net negative effect on the team. But blaming the ongoing off-field drama for the defensive disasterclass of the opener, Tim Ream's supersoft defending for the key second or goalkeeper Matt Freese's decision to go freestyling 40 yards from his own goal for the clinching third, is stretching it a little. Perhaps this was just a half-decent national side finding things a little too tough at the business end of a tournament now for ever tainted by murky political machinations.
Other Tournament Action
In other last-16 matches, Argentina beat Egypt 3-2 after extra time, and Switzerland lost 1-3 to Colombia. Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed he has played his last World Cup following Portugal's 1-0 defeat by Spain. "I am sad to leave like this but I have given everything, always given my best … it was my last World Cup, yes," Ronaldo said. "Before Cristiano, Portugal had never won a title trophy … I leave here with a clear conscience."
Fan Reaction
Football Daily letters reflected the mood. Pat Condreay wrote: "I officially withdraw my request for the USA USA USA to regain one of our exclamation points. Fresh off his successful programme to suck all of the joy and pride from our nation's 250th birthday celebration, now the president has managed to destroy any joy and pride that might be had from the USMNT at the GWC. Sigh." Duncan Steel added: "Followers of 1960s American movies will have placed money on the USA USA USA losing, because they knew that If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium."
