USMNT Suffers 'Good Reality Check' In 5-2 Loss To Belgium

Atlanta — A buoyant first half that ended with Weston McKennie’s soaring header dissolved into defensive chaos on Saturday night as the United States men’s national team crashed 5-2 to Belgium at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the heaviest home defeat after scoring first since 1959.

McKennie’s 39th-minute finish off Antonee Robinson’s corner — his first international strike in three years — sent a record crowd of 71,234 into halftime believing a sixth straight unbeaten outing was imminent. Instead, the visitors pounced.

Teenage defender Zeno Debast nodded in an equalizer deep into first-half stoppage time, and a 15-minute second-half blitz turned the contest into a rout. Amadou Onana powered home a header, Charles De Ketelaere converted a penalty, and Dodi Lukebakio twice beat Matt Turner, the second a curling 82nd-minute effort that capped the scoring. Patrick Agyemang’s late consolation only trimmed the margin.

The result, per Opta, marked the first time the U.S. had lost by three goals at home after opening the scoring since an 8-1 humiliation by England 66 years ago.

Injuries shredded an already experimental back line. Sergino Dest, Chris Richards and Miles Robinson were unavailable, while captain Tyler Adams sat out. Tim Weah, pressed into emergency duty at right back, was tormented by Manchester City’s Jérémy Doku, and the makeshift unit never settled.

Christian Pulisic, scoreless in seven consecutive appearances since November, spurned two clear chances to restore a two-goal lead in the opening period. “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.”

Head coach Mauricio Pochettino refused to sound alarms, branding the evening “a good reality check.” “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,” he said. “If we want to beat Paraguay, do you think that they are not going to fight?”

Belgium, missing Romelu Lukaku, Leandro Trossard, Hans Vanaken and Thibaut Courtois, still managed to expose every American weakness. Manager Rudi Garcia praised the hosts’ early aggression but noted his side “started bad” before finding rhythm.

The U.S. now travels to face fifth-ranked Portugal on Tuesday in its final friendly before Pochettino finalizes 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.

For an American squad dreaming of a deep run this summer, Saturday’s scoreline was less a setback than a sobering mirror — and the clock is ticking.