Belgium Holds On To Beat US 2-1 In Extra Time
SALVADOR, Brazil (AP) - Kevin De Bruyne turned a heroic night for U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard into defeat on Tuesday with an extra-time goal and an assist that gave Belgium a 2-1 victory and a quarterfinal match against Lionel Messi and Argentina.
With three extra-time goals in a thrilling match, De Bruyne and substitute Romelu Lukaku gave Belgium a big lead before Julian Green closed the gap with 12 minutes to go.
"For my heart, please don't give me too many games like this," said Belgium coach Marc Wilmots, who must now get his team ready to face Messi and his Argentina teammates on Saturday.
Belgium's unyielding attacks for 90 minutes on Tuesday only highlighted the great performance of the 35-year-old Howard, but the goalkeeper's teammates finally wilted in the evening heat once extra time came.
Three minutes in, Lukaku found space on the right and passed into the center. At first, the ball was poked out before De Bruyne gained possession. But Belgium's creative genius still had the energy for a sharp move and his low shot finally missed the yellow foot of Howard and settled inside the post.
Realizing he had finally been beaten, Howard fell back on the grass almost in slow-motion, arms and legs outstretched and eyes staring up into the darkness over the Arena Fonte Nova. The best man of the match turned out to be on the losing side.
"The levee is going to break at some point," said Howard, who plays for Everton in the Premier League.
In the 105th minute, Belgium looked like it had put the game away. De Bruyne launched Lukaku into open space on the left and the Everton striker beat his club teammate with a drive to the near post.
It wasn't over on a sticky, anxiety-ridden night, however. The Americans got late hope when Green pulled one back in the 107th minute with a sterling volley on the turn that Thibaut Courtois could only touch before he saw it fly into his net.
Suddenly, United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann started wildly shouting with flailing arms "Come on, come on," and there was a new team on the field.
With six minutes to go, the Americans almost got the equalizer. A free kick move set Clint Dempsey free in the center with only Courtois to beat. But the Belgium keeper proved he is one of the world's best by spreading his giant body to smother the shot.
With almost no work at all in 120 minutes, Courtois turned out to be more decisive than Howard had been.
With waves of chants of "USA, USA" echoing around the 48,000-seat stadium, the reinvigorated Americans kept searching for a late goal right up until the final whistle.
It never came.
United States World Cup History
1930 (Uruguay)
First Round
July 13 at Montevideo: United States 3, Belgium 0
July 17 at Montevideo: United States 3, Paraguay 0
Semifinal
July 26 at Montevideo: Argentina 6, United States 1
1934 (Italy)
First Round=
May 27 at Rome: Italy 7, United States 1
1950 (Brazil)
First Round
June 25 at Curitiba: Spain 3, United States 1
June 29 at Belo Horizante: United States 1, England 0
July 2 at Recife: Chile 5, United States 2
1990 (Italy)
First Round
June 10 at Florence: Czechoslovakia 5, United States 1
June 14 at Rome: Italy 1, United States 0
June 19 at Florence: Austria 2, United States 1
1994 (United States)
First Round
June 18 at Pontiac, Mich.: Switzerland 1, United States 1
June 22 at Pasadena, Calif.: United States 2, Colombia 1
June 26 at Pasadena, Calif.: Romania 1, United States 0
Second Round
July 4 at Stanford, Calif.: Brazil 1, United States 0
1998 (France)
First Round
June 15 at Paris: Germany 2, United States 0
June 21 at Lyon: Iran 2, United States 1
June 25 at Nantes: Yugoslavia 1, United States 0
2002 (South Korea)
First Round
June 5 at Suwon: United States 3, Portugal 2
June 10 at Daegu: United States 1, South Korea 1
June 14 at Daejeon: Poland 3, United States 1
Second Round
June 17 at Jeonju: United States 2, Mexico 0<
Quarterfinal
June 21 at Ulsan: Germany 1, United States 0<
2006 (Germany)
First Round
June 12 at Gelsenkirchen: United States 0, Czech Republic 3
June 17 at Kaiserslautern: Italy 1, United States 1
June 22 at Nuremberg: Ghana 2, United States 1<
2010 (South Africa)
First Round
June 12 at Rustenburg: England 1, United States 1
June 18 at Johannesburg: Slovenia 2, United States 2
June 23 at Pretoria: United States 1, Algeria 0
Second Round
June 26 at Rustenburg: United States 1, Ghana 2
2014 (Brazil)
First Round
June 16 at Natal: United States 2, Ghana 1
June 22 at Manaus: Portugal 2, United States 2
June 26 at Recife: Germany 1, United States 0
Second Round
July 1 at Salvador: Belgium 2, United States 1
© Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.