Belgium has a one-goal lead at the half and it’s well deserved.
The USA looks totally different than the team that played the first four games of this tournament now that they’ve run into good, if not elite, competition. The Belgians have done well to take out the USA’s pressing defense and the US has not been able to attack to the extent that it would like.
But the biggest problem so far has been the leaky American defense, which has been a problem before this tournament and – at times – during it. On the two goals, American defenders have been beaten to key balls and looked unsure of themselves in the crucial moment.
It could be argued that the Americans can count themselves lucky to only be down by one goal at the break.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino will need to get his team back to their confident best at the break.