The U.S. Men's National Team (USMNT) will face Belgium in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 on July 6, with forward Folarin Balogun unavailable due to a red card suspension. Despite this significant absence, oddsmakers consider the USMNT to be slight favorites to advance to the quarterfinals.
DraftKings has set the odds for the U.S. to qualify at -130, while Belgium is at +150. In terms of a win within 90 minutes, the U.S. is listed at +150, a draw at +250, and Belgium at +180. These odds indicate a shift from what they might have been had Balogun been eligible to play. According to DraftKings' director of race and sports operations, Johnny Avello, the U.S. would have been a stronger favorite at -150 against Belgium's +128 if Balogun were in the lineup. This represents an approximate 20-point swing against the U.S.
Balogun has been a key offensive player for the USMNT in the tournament, scoring three goals in three games. His suspension is considered a considerable setback for the team, which has won three matches thus far in the World Cup. The team's coach, Mauricio Pochettino, has become the winningest coach in USA soccer history during this World Cup campaign.
USMNT's most recent match saw them defeat Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0, even while playing a man down for a portion of the second half. Forward Cristian Pulisic will be expected to play a crucial role in the match against Belgium.
Should the U.S. defeat Belgium, they could potentially face Spain in the quarterfinals. Spain is heavily favored in their Round of 16 match against Austria and is also expected to be the favorite against the winner of the Portugal vs. Croatia game. The USMNT has not reached the World Cup quarterfinals since 2002, when they defeated Mexico in the Round of 16.
All World Cup matches are being broadcast on FOX or FOX Sports 1. The game against Belgium is scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. ET in Seattle.