USMNT routed by Belgium in blow to WCup prep

The United States men’s national team suffered a setback in its preparations for the World Cup as Belgium ran rampant in the second half to emerge with a 5-2 win at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday.

The U.S. had not lost by three goals in a home game in which it scored the opening goal since an 8-1 defeat to England in 1959, according to Opta.

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“It’s a good reality check for us,” Pochettino said at a news conference.

“I think we need competitive games to arrive to the World Cup in our best,” he added. “I think we cannot arrive with the wrong idea that we are so good, we are so handsome, we are so well-dressed and we are Americans.

“And it’s good to feel that, but if we want to win the World Cup, if we want to go next to the next station in the group and we want to beat Paraguay, do you think that they are not going to fight?”

Weston McKennie started for the U.S. and scored the opening goal in the 39th minute off Antonee Robinson‘s corner. It was McKennie’s 12th international goal and first in three years.

But Zeno Debast scored a long-range equalizer for Belgium right before halftime, and the No. 9-ranked visitors scored three more times in a 15-minute span in the second half to expose some defensive vulnerabilities for Pochettino’s side.

Amadou Onana scored in the 53rd minute, and Charles De Ketelaere increased Belgium’s lead to 3-1 with a penalty kick in the 59th minute. Dodi Lukebakio beat goalkeeper Matt Turner with a curling effort into the top corner to push the lead to 4-1.

Lukebakio added his second goal of the match in the 82nd minute as some fans among the largely pro-American crowd of 66,867 exited. U.S. substitute Patrick Agyemang scored in the 87th minute.

The loss snapped the U.S.’s five-game unbeaten streak, which was tied for the best run of Pochettino’s tenure.

While acknowledging it was a humbling result for his side, Pochettino insisted there was no need to panic just over two months before the World Cup begins.

“I think it’s the last thing to be concerned about the World Cup,” he said.

“I think that, of course, 5-2 is always difficult to accept. It’s painful, but at the same time, I think we need to take so many positive things. The first half was really good. I think we really play better than Belgium.

“I think we create chances to finish the 45 minutes in a positive way, but we concede in the last action of the first half, and then there was an impact. And it’s true that after the second half, it really was difficult for us.”

Christian Pulisic failed to convert several good scoring chances. He entered scoreless in his past 12 games with AC Milan and extended his U.S. goal drought to seven games since November 2024.

“Of course, I’m disappointed. I have to finish my chances,” Pulisic said. “They aren’t easy chances, but at certain moments, that I expect to do better, for sure.”

Last fall’s unbeaten streak included wins over Japan (currently No. 18), Australia (27), Paraguay (38) and Uruguay (17), plus a draw vs. Ecuador (23). The U.S. plays No. 5 Portugal on Tuesday in its last game before Pochettino announces his World Cup roster at the end of May.

“We have to beat teams like this if we want to have a chance to go far in the tournament,” Pulisic said.

Injuries to Sergiño Dest, Chris Richards and Miles Robinson left the 15th-ranked U.S. short-handed in defense, while midfielder Tyler Adams was also unavailable Saturday. As a result, Tim Weah started at right back and struggled against Belgium’s Manchester City winger Jérémy Doku.

It was also a frustrating afternoon for Turner, the former No. 1 American goalkeeper who made his first appearance since last June. Left back Antonee Robinson was making his first appearance since Nov. 18, 2024, because of injury.

“We didn’t defend our box well enough,” Turner said. “That’s something that we cannot have. We can’t accept that we didn’t lay everything on the line to keep the ball out of the back of the net because that’s when our tails should be up the most.”

Belgium was missing striker Romelu Lukaku, midfielders Leandro Trossard and Hans Vanaken and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois because of injuries and fitness issues. The Red Devils play Mexico in Chicago on Tuesday.

“This team is better than the result,” Belgium coach Rudi Garcia said of the U.S. “We started bad, but also because the USA was more aggressive than us.”

ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle and The Associated Press contributed to this report.