ATLANTA — Belgium gave a dressing down to a U.S. men’s soccer team with big World Cup dreams.
The Americans allowed five straight goals Saturday night in a deflating 5-2 exhibition loss to the Red Devils at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The U.S. had not been defeated by three goals in a home game in which it scored the opening goal since an 8-1 loss to England in 1959, according to Opta.
“We cannot arrive with the wrong idea of that we are so good, we are so handsome, we are so well dressed and we are Americans,” said U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino, a former Argentina defender. “Always after the games when the team wins, (it’s) because we fight, we were aggressive, we were intense, yes? When we drop in that intensity — we saw today.”
Preparing to co-host the World Cup with Canada and Mexico this summer, the U.S. entered the match against Belgium with a five-game unbeaten streak, and Pochettino’s message to players had been they can win soccer’s top title for the first time.
Weston McKennie’s 39th-minute goal from Antonee Robinson’s corner kick put the 15th-ranked U.S. ahead of the world’s No. 9 team, but then the U.S. level lagged.