Belgium dismantles USMNT 5-2 in nightmare friendly, raising World Cup alarms for Mauricio Pochettino

ATLANTA — For the first time in the U.S. national team’s evolution under Mauricio Pochettino, this summer’s World Cup felt real and urgent Saturday.

The 5-2 embarrassment against Belgium on Saturday was a mere friendly, but after 18 months of regional competitions and one-off matches without consequence, dozens of player trials, constant experimentation and visits to a variety of Off-Broadway venues, the Americans stepped onto a big stage against an acclaimed foe 76 days before their World Cup opener.

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Sound the alarms.

The U.S. seized the lead on Weston McKennie’s goal late in the first half but relinquished it before halftime. Belgium then scored three in the first 22 minutes of the second half and another late, triggering boos from the announced crowd of 66,867 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and demolishing the U.S. five-game unbeaten streak.

The ninth-ranked Red Devils were a class above the Americans. Make that three classes above.

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Any hope of a deep U.S. run this summer will rest on, at some point during the 48-team competition, upsetting an opponent with greater talent and history. Saturday’s display raised serious questions about the U.S. capacity to do so.

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The collective defensive effort wilted under pressure time and time again and, with numerous chances to score while the outcome was still in doubt, the Americans squandered them.

Christian Pulisic, the star forward and face of the 15th-ranked team heading into the program’s most important summer, was downright lousy. He butchered three golden scoring chances — an issue that has plagued his AC Milan season for months.

The Americans will remain in Atlanta for Tuesday’s friendly against fifth-ranked Portugal, which will be without injured superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. Belgium will face Mexico in Chicago on Tuesday.

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While Belgium’s roster did not include star goalkeeper Tibault Courtois and all-time leading scorer Romelu Lukaku (89 goals in 124 matches), the initial U.S. absentees for this nine-day camp were midfielders Tyler Adams and Diego Luna, right back Sergiño Dest and forward Haji Wright.

Then this week center backs Chris Richards (knee) and Miles Robinson (groin) were sidelined with injuries, setting off alarms about an already unsettled backline heading into two tall tasks.

Pochettino chose to start out with a four-man alignment featuring Tim Ream and Mark McKenzie in the middle and Antonee Robinson and Tim Weah on the corners.

Plagued by injuries for two seasons at Fulham, Robinson made his first U.S. appearance since November 2024. Typically a forward or wing during his U.S. career, Weah filled the same deep-lying role he does in France with Olympique Marseille.

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Saturday was also a massive day for midfielder Johnny Cardoso, who has never shown much with the national team despite an ascending club career that has taken him to Atletico Madrid’s starting lineup.

The attacking pieces were formidable: red-hot striker Folarin Balogun, plus Pulisic, Malik Tillman and the ultra-versatile McKennie.

The biggest surprise came in goal, with Matt Turner ending Matt Freese’s streak of 12 consecutive starts. Freese remains the top man, but having served as a faithful back-up since last summer, Turner, the 2022 World Cup starter, welcomed a major test before the summer. Freese is expected to start against Portugal.

Turner was on high alert on multiple early occasions, watching threats miss the target. Belgium’s attack filtered through Kevin De Bruyne, the former Manchester City star now with Napoli, and Jeremy Doku, a quick and tricky winger from Manchester City.

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Weston McKennie puts USMNT on top, Belgium responds in kind

The U.S. created three promising chances in the first 14 minutes: Pulisic headed Weah’s cross over the crossbar, Robinson tested diving keeper Senna Lammens with a 28-yard rip and Pulisic shot poorly on the run from the top of the box.

McKennie should have scored in the 17th minute, collecting a corner kick flicked by Tanner Tessmann to the back side. In desperation, Lammens, a Manchester United back-up in his second international match, stepped up to constrict McKennie’s options and, with his head turned, thwarted the wicked 6-yarder. A sure opportunity squandered, McKennie raised his hands to his head.

After a sustained lull, the match crackled back to life before intermission.

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McKennie redeemed himself with the 39th-minute opening goal, thanks in large part to Cardoso, whose pick on Alexis Saelemaekers freed his teammate to volley in Robinson’s corner kick from inside the 6-yard box for his 12th international goal.