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Belgium players say they will need ‘balls’ to nullify home crowd against US
The Guardian • • general
Key Points:
- Belgium's players express confidence ahead of their World Cup last-16 match against the US in Seattle, emphasizing the need to remain focused despite the expected pro-US crowd atmosphere.
- Left-back Maxim De Cuyper and full-back Timothy Castagne highlight the importance of playing their own game and staying in their "bubble," unaffected by the crowd noise.
- Belgium previously defeated the US 5-2 in a March friendly, but players caution against overestimating that result, noting changes in team lineups and improvements since then.
- The US will miss key striker Folarin Balogun due to suspension, which Belgium sees as a factor they must adapt to, with midfielder Axel Witsel confident Belgium's tactics can exploit the US's defensive setup.
- The match atmosphere in Seattle, with a large and vocal home crowd, is acknowledged but not feared by Belgium, who view it as a challenge to maintain composure and execute their game plan.
