USMNT Routed by Belgium in World Cup Warmup

Defensive struggles exposed as Americans fall 5-2 in Atlanta

Mar. 28, 2026 at 10:51pm

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The U.S. men's national soccer team was routed 5-2 by Belgium in a World Cup warmup match on Saturday. Weston McKennie put the Americans ahead in the 39th minute, but the Red Devils scored the next five goals to rally and expose the USMNT's defensive vulnerabilities. Dodi Lukébakio scored twice for Belgium, while Zeno Debast, Amadou Onana, and Charles De Ketelaere also found the back of the net. Patrick Agyemang scored a late goal for the U.S., but it was not enough to overcome the lopsided defeat.

Why it matters

The lopsided loss to Belgium highlighted the defensive issues the USMNT will need to address ahead of the World Cup later this year. The Americans were missing several key injured players, and the rout at the hands of the Red Devils will raise concerns about the team's ability to compete against top international competition.

The details

The U.S. took an early lead when Weston McKennie scored in the 39th minute, but Belgium responded with five unanswered goals. Zeno Debast and Amadou Onana scored their first international goals to spark the comeback, while Dodi Lukébakio added a brace and Charles De Ketelaere converted a penalty. The Americans' defense struggled throughout, and former starting goalkeeper Matt Turner had a difficult outing in his return to the lineup.

  • The match was played on Saturday, March 28, 2026.
  • McKennie scored the opening goal for the U.S. in the 39th minute.
  • Debast and Onana scored their first international goals in the 45th and 53rd minutes, respectively, to start Belgium's comeback.
  • De Ketelaere converted a penalty kick in the 59th minute to give Belgium the lead.
  • Lukébakio scored in the 68th and 82nd minutes to extend Belgium's advantage.

The players

Weston McKennie

A midfielder for the U.S. men's national team who scored the opening goal for the Americans in the 39th minute.

Zeno Debast

A defender for the Belgian national team who scored his first international goal in the 45th minute to spark Belgium's comeback.

Amadou Onana

A midfielder for the Belgian national team who scored his first international goal in the 53rd minute to give Belgium the lead.

Dodi Lukébakio

A forward for the Belgian national team who scored two goals in the 68th and 82nd minutes to extend Belgium's advantage.

Matt Turner

The former starting goalkeeper for the U.S. men's national team who made his first appearance since June 2025 and struggled in the loss to Belgium.

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What they’re saying

“We have to go back to the drawing board and figure out how to shore up our defense. This was a tough lesson, but one we need to learn from ahead of the World Cup.”

— Gregg Berhalter, U.S. Men's National Team Head Coach

“We knew the U.S. would come out strong, but our team showed great resilience to battle back and get the win. This was an important test for us ahead of the World Cup.”

— Roberto Martínez, Belgium National Team Head Coach

What’s next

The U.S. will look to regroup and address their defensive issues ahead of the World Cup, while Belgium will face Mexico in another warmup match on Tuesday.

The takeaway

The lopsided loss to Belgium exposed significant defensive vulnerabilities for the USMNT that will need to be addressed before the World Cup. The team's inability to protect an early lead and the struggles of goalkeeper Matt Turner raised serious concerns about the squad's readiness to compete against top international competition.