U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino expressed his frustration by kicking Powerade bottles after Belgium took a 2-1 lead in the World Cup Round of 16 match. The incident occurred shortly after Belgium scored their second goal in the 33rd minute, just two minutes after Charles De Ketelaere had given Belgium the lead.
De Ketelaere opened the scoring for Belgium in the 10th minute. The U.S. equalized in the 31st minute when Malik Tillman converted a free kick, which deflected off a Belgian defender and past goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. However, Belgium quickly regained the advantage.
At halftime, Belgium held a 2-1 lead despite relatively even possession, with the Belgians controlling 53% of the ball. Belgium had a significant edge in offensive opportunities, recording five shots on goal compared to the U.S.'s one and creating four big chances. The U.S. team now faces the challenge of improving their performance in the second half to advance to the quarterfinals.
Should the U.S. win, they would match the 2002 squad as the only team in modern FIFA World Cup history to reach the quarterfinals. The U.S. will face Spain in the next round if they overcome Belgium.