'Overturn This': Belgium's Brutal Post After US Defeat

COLOMBO (News 1st); Belgium booked their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals with an emphatic 4-1 victory over the United States before appearing to take a swipe at the controversy that dominated the build-up to the high-profile Round of 16 clash.Shortly after the final whistle, the Belgian national team's official social media account shared a photograph of striker Romelu Lukaku celebrating in front of American supporters, accompanied by the caption: "Overturn this."The post quickly went viral across social media platforms and was widely interpreted as a reference to the dispute surrounding United States forward Folarin Balogun's eligibility for the match.The controversy developed from Balogun's red card during the United States' previous World Cup match. Under normal circumstances, the dismissal would have resulted in an automatic one-match suspension. However, FIFA later suspended the ban, clearing the striker to play against Belgium. The decision drew criticism and prompted an appeal from the Royal Belgian Football Association, which was ultimately rejected.Despite the pre-match debate, Belgium left little doubt about the outcome on the field. Charles De Ketelaere scored twice, Hans Vanaken added another after capitalising on a costly error by American goalkeeper Matt Freese, while Lukaku sealed the victory with a late goal as the Red Devils powered into the last eight.The United States briefly threatened a comeback after Malik Tillman equalised, but Belgium quickly regained control and dominated large portions of the match. The result ended the Americans' World Cup campaign on home soil and extended their wait for a place in the quarter-finals.Adding a further twist to the saga, FIFA later confirmed that Balogun had been found guilty of serious foul play relating to the incident that led to his dismissal and had also been sanctioned for re-entering the field after being sent off. FIFA imposed a one-match suspension, suspended on probation for one year, along with a USD 40,000 fine. The United States Soccer Federation was also held jointly liable for the payment of the fine.