World Cup Round of 16: USMNT Takes on Belgium; Portugal Meets Spain
On Monday, July 6 at 3 p.m. ET in Dallas, Portugal and Spain will face off with a spot in the World Cup quarterfinals at stake. This encounter marks their 42nd meeting overall but only their third in World Cup history. Last summer, these two teams met in the UEFA Nations League Finals, where Portugal triumphed via penalty kicks.
Spain arrived after a convincing 3-0 victory over Austria, while Portugal staged a dramatic comeback to beat Croatia 2-1 in the Round of 32. The winner will face either the United States or Belgium in the quarterfinals, set for Friday in Los Angeles.
USMNT Seeks First Quarterfinal Since 2002 Against Belgium
Later Monday, at 8 p.m. ET in Seattle, the United States Men's National Team (USMNT) takes on Belgium. Both teams enter with even odds at -110. This matchup is quite different from the March friendly when Belgium defeated the U.S. 5-2.
The USMNT has advanced to the Round of 16 and aims to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002. An unexpected boost came when FIFA lifted striker Folarin Balogun's one-match suspension, allowing the team's top scorer to play after his red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina was overturned.
Belgium barely edged out Senegal in the Round of 32 thanks to a late rally. Their World Cup history in recent tournaments varies widely, from an early exit to a third-place finish and a quarterfinal run.
