Marc Wilmots produced another stroke of genius as substitute Romelu Lukaku scored the decisive goal in Belgium's 2-1 win over a gutsy USA in the round of 16.
Wilmots sent on the Lukaku ready for extra time and the Chelsea striker responded with what turned out to be the winning goal. Former Chelsea man Kevin De Bruyne pounced on a loose ball to open the scoring after 93 minutes before turning provider to set up Lukaku for the second before the break in extra-time.
USA substitute Julian Green latched onto Michael Bradley's floated pass to volley home and reduce the deficit after 107 minutes to give his side hope. USA refused to lie down and could've forced penalties but Jermaine Jones shot agonisingly wide before a clever free-kick routine ended with Clint Dempsey being denied by Thibaut Courtois in the Belgium goal. It just wasn't to be for Team America this year as Belgium marched on.
Belgium may not have produced the superb performances many had expected in the group stages but they created plenty of chances in their record-breaking clash in Salvador. But USA goalkeeper Tim Howard, who was already having a fine tournament, took a large share of the headlines after making more saves in a single game than any other player since 1966 as he kept Belgium out on no fewer than 15 occasions.
Howard was having a blinder of a game and was a key factor in the Americans being able to force the game into extra time. His performance was so sublime that it almost sent social media websites into pandemonium with the array of comments about his display. The Everton goalkeeper's Wikipedia page was also changed to give him the role of Secretary of Defence of the United States of America. If his display had led to an American victory the shot-stopper would surely have been in dreamland but unfortunately it wasn't to be and Jurgen Klinsmann's men saw their tournament come to an end.
When they reflect on it after the tournament, USA will undoubtedly be proud of their display. It is always frustrating to be knocked out in a game you were capable of winning but to have even reached that stage is something they should be immensely proud of. Nobody gave the Americans a chance when they were drawn in the same group as Germany, Portugal and Ghana yet they defied the odds to finish as runners-up in Group G.
For all Howard's heroics, it was Belgium who emerged victorious to reach a first World Cup quarter-final for 28 years. Wilmot's men can be proud of reaching the final eight in Brazil but they would go no further after a narrow 1-0 defeat by Argentina in the quarter finals. Wilmots can still be proud of his side's efforts and how his substitutes often repaid him with goals but in the end it was a class outfit from South America that stopped them progressing beyond the quarter finals.
That impressive South American outfit was Argentina, who had beaten another European side in Switzerland before getting the better of the Belgians. The game against the Swiss also produced late drama with Argentina needing an extra time goal from Angel Di Maria to send them through.
With just two minutes of extra time remaining Lionel Messi beat his men before finding Di Maria with a perfectly timed pass, leaving the Real Madrid man to fire home the winner.
There was still time for Switzerland to force penalties but Blerim Dzemaili's header hit a post before the rebound hit his leg and went wide. It was a case of what could've been for the Swiss after they missed a glorious chance to win the game in normal time. Josip Drmic really should have opened the scoring after being put clear, especially after Sergio Romero decided to stay nearer his goal-line, but his chip went straight into the grateful arms of the goalkeeper.
For Switzerland boss Ottmar Hitzfeld it was the end of an illustrious career that had seen him win 19 major trophies at club level, so it was a shame it couldn't end in victory. But it means Messi can light up the tournament for a little while longer as Argentina's wins over European opposition puts them into the final four.
With the round of 16 over and three of the four quarter-finals now decided, the ties just get more and more mouth-watering.
Let the drama continue!
Come on the underdogs!
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