USA Faces Familiar Sadness in New World Cup Loss

Even though playing at home, the round of 16 is still a big obstacle for the American men's soccer team. Former American player Stu Holden couldn't help but feel disappointed after the latest defeat. "This is a familiar feeling. We've been here before. What frustrates me the most is how easily we get caught up in this moment," Holden shared on FOX Sports' "World Cup Now." "We became big fans of this team, the way they play, their personalities, and their stories. We have seen many of these players come through the MLS academies. There are so many good players and we want more for them. I want nothing more than for them to win."

Even though Belgium dominated the US team in their round of 16 match, there are reasons to feel more positive about the US squad compared to previous runs to the round of 16 in previous World Cups. The team won three out of four matches, the highest they have ever achieved in a World Cup. In the only loss, the team mainly used substitute players in a game that did not affect the final standings.
The US team has also proven that they can overcome difficulties. In the round of 32, the team doubled their advantage against Bosnia and Herzegovina even though star player Folarin Balogun received a red card. But even with great momentum, the US team fell short in Monday's match. Three of the four goals they conceded were due to losing the ball in their own half. The second of those goals showed the US team's obvious hesitation, when goalkeeper Matt Freese stood still while trying to kick the ball, allowing Belgium to steal the ball and score.

Holden believes the spotlight is too big for the US team. "I know what will be written about this group of players, and we will sit here analyzing a disappointing night. They have shot themselves in the foot too many times. But again, this comes from the moment being so big for many players and how they feel.
"That will change over time, but I think that's the only way to explain this. The players did things that are uncharacteristic of them and what we have seen in this tournament. I thought they could do it. But when you make those mistakes, the disappointment — they just didn't look like themselves tonight."

Among the players who Holden said did not play well on Monday night was star midfielder Christian Pulisic. "We didn't have big performances from our big players tonight. Pulisic had a very difficult night, a very difficult night," Holden said. "From the first minute of the game... Pulisic's first five touches of the ball, three of them were lost possession. He looked as if this moment was too big for him. I thought it would be a big match for him, but it wasn't to be."

While FOX Sports football analyst Mo Edu gave Pulisic a 6.5 for his performance, he did not perform well. Only two of his six dribbles were successful, and his win rate in ground duels was only 25%. Furthermore, Pulisic's only corner kick went straight into the Belgian's hands. Finally, Pulisic was replaced in the 59th minute after he moved slowly following a strong collision moments before.

But between Pulisic's performance and his own mistakes, Holden thinks the US team could have played better and put up a good race against Belgium. "The difficult thing is to sit here and tell people that these players are really good and they can play on par with the Belgian team. We're not crazy to think they can beat that team. But tonight was a night where we failed to express ourselves, and it was a harsh reminder that at this level, these players regularly play high-level matches. They don't allow you to make mistakes and get away with it. We have been punished. We were so naive."

Ultimately, games like Monday night add to the narrative that the U.S. team has work to do to be considered one of the top teams in the world. Despite winning three of the first four matches, America's three victories all came from teams ranked outside the top 25 in the FIFA rankings before the World Cup. Meanwhile, Belgium is in ninth place. So, with the American men's team still looking for a chance to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2002, Holden understands those who might say the group has fallen short of expectations. “Unfortunately, we are what we think. We said before the tournament that we hoped to get to the quarter-finals. We could have. But we said the round of 16 was a realistic expectation."

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