USA coach Mauricio Pochettino kicks Powerade bottles in frustration as team's first half defense looks shaky

Team USA did not person nan first-half commencement they were hoping for against Belgium successful nan Round of 16, and caput coach Mauricio Pochettino displayed immoderate rightful vexation because of it.

Belgium sent a daze to nan USA strategy not moreover 10 minutes into nan lucifer erstwhile Charles De Ketelaere tapped successful a shot served correct successful beforehand of Matt Freese’s nett and sent a silent murmur complete nan sold-out Seattle Stadium crowd.

But things felt backmost to normal erstwhile Malik Tillman, who scored a free footwear successful nan 2nd half against Bosnia and Herzegovina successful nan Round of 32, did it again. Tillman buried his changeable past legendary Belgian keeper Thibaut Courtois acknowledgment to a deflection disconnected 1 of Belgium’s defenders.

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Mauricio Pochettino, Manager of nan United States during nan FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 lucifer betwixt USA and Belgium astatine Seattle Stadium connected July 6, 2026 successful Seattle, United States. (Jane Gershovich/ISI Photos)

That was successful nan 31st minute, but Pochettino’s show of vexation came aft nan U.S. conceded their 2nd extremity conscionable 2 minutes later.

It was De Ketelaere erstwhile again, this clip leaping complete seasoned defender Tim Ream and utilizing his caput to spot nan shot successful nan backmost of nan net.

THANKS TO TRUMP, A RESTED TEAM USA HAS THE ULTIMATE EDGE OVER A FURIOUS BELGIUM IN THE 2026 WORLD CUP

As Belgium celebrated, Pochettino walked complete to his chair and fto retired his displeasure pinch what he conscionable witnessed connected nan transportation pinch a correct footwear to nan Powerade bottles connected nan ground.

That’s nan type of half it was for Team USA, which went into halftime pinch a batch to spell complete earlier nan 2nd half begins.

Mauricio Pochettino Manager / Head Coach of USA during nan FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 lucifer betwixt USA and Belgium astatine Seattle Stadium connected July 6, 2026 successful Seattle, United States. (Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA)

While possession was comparatively close – Belgium owned it 53% to nan USMNT’s 47% -- it was clear nan Belgians had nan advantage successful nan violative end. They vanished nan half pinch 5 shots connected extremity to conscionable 1 from nan U.S. They besides created 4 large chances, meaning this crippled could’ve been a batch further distant for nan U.S. than nan scoreboard says astatine nan moment.

The USMNT will request amended play each astir if they wish to move connected to nan quarterfinals to meet Spain and support their World Cup title dreams alive. If they tin do so, they would go conscionable nan 2nd squad successful U.S. history to get it done, arsenic only nan squad successful 2002 was capable to scope nan quarterfinals successful this modern FIFA World Cup format.

Mauricio Pochettino Manager / Head Coach of USA during nan FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 lucifer betwixt USA and Belgium astatine Seattle Stadium connected July 6, 2026 successful Seattle, United States. (Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA)

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Pochettino whitethorn fto retired much frustrations successful nan locker room, but it’s clear nan head mightiness person to get clever pinch Belgium owning nan momentum aft nan first 45 minutes.

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