Belgium scored an early goal in extra time to take a quick lead. The game went to overtime after regulation ended with the score 0-0.
In the knockout round, there are 30 minutes of overtime and then a round of penalty kicks until the tie is broken.
Belgium has been “far more consistent” than the U.S. team, according to USA TODAY’s analysis, but U.S. goalie Tim Howard is keeping the American team in the match.
The last, and only, time the U.S. team ever won a Round of 16 match was in 2002. That year marked the furthest the U.S. team had advanced since it made the semifinals in 1930.
Belgium to the final 8 after defeating USA in Extra time!
Final Score: Belgium 2-1 USA
1st Goal: Du Bruyne (Belgium) scores: 93′
2nd Goal: Lukaku (Belgium) Scores: 105′
3rd Goal: Green (USA) Scores: 107′
Live Score on ECB on your Right! ~>
Argentina breaks Swiss hearts 1-0 in Extra Time
Even by Lionel Messi’s standards at what is an ever more extraordinary World Cup, this was late.
But once again Messi was the difference. Once again an Argentina team that continues to disappoint was exposed as desperately over-reliant on their magical, masterful No10.
He was not the scorer of the winning goal on this occasion. That honour would fall to Angel Di Maria. But he was the provider of a perfectly-weighted ball after a trademark run that saw him ride one challenge before inviting his international colleague to score.
For Switzerland it was so, so cruel. For 118 minutes they had more than provided an answer to the best that Argentina could throw at them.
Indeed they were the better team; certainly the creators of the better first half chances. Chances that will leave them only with regrets that they did at least not take this last 16 encounter to penalties.
Even after Di Maria’s goal they had opportunities, the sight of Blerim Dzemaili’s close-range header bouncing off the post – before rebounding off him and trickling wide – making defeat all the more painful for Ottmar Hitzfeld and his team.
Argentina were so desperately disappointing in this game even if Hitzfeld, twice a Champions League winner, did once again prove himself a master tactician.
Messi endured comfortably his worst game of the tournament, struggling to escape the attention of a superbly drilled Swiss defence until that decisive run; the first time he had really got beyond the Swiss midfield to take on their back four.
While Di Maria actually had a dreadful game, losing possession no less than 37 times in normal time.
If the Swiss were crushed by France in the group stages, conceding five goals, they were defensively brilliant this time. Further evidence, surely, of the impact a decent international manager can have on his players.
For the Argentina fans it was nothing short of torture. For the thousands of yellow-shirted Brazilians more enjoyable. They delighted in Xherdan Shaqiri’s fearless attacking football, even if he was a little too elaborate at times. Echoes of a young Cristiano Ronaldo. But he posed constant danger to a stuttering, static Argentina.
Elie Chahine 