De Ketelaere gave Belgium the lead in the ninth minute with a simple tap-in before Hans Vanaken punished a goalkeeping howler, and substitute Romelu Lukaku added a fourth to settle a last-16 clash on Monday.
Balogun was named in USA coach Mauricio Pochettino’s starting lineup after FIFA suspended a one-game ban, but their leading scorer at the tournament, with three goals, was largely isolated as Belgium dominated the game.
Belgium largely dominated the game, and they took the lead in the ninth minute when Nicolas Raskin’s pass across the face of goal was tapped in by De Ketlaere.
The home side levelled in the 31st minute when Malik Tillman’s free-kick took a wicked deflection off Belgium’s Hans Vanaken but the European side restored their lead two minutes later when De Ketelaere headed in Leandro Trossard’s cross to finish the first half.
Belgium were gifted a third in the second half when De Ketelaere tackled hesitant US keeper Matt Freese and Vanaken side-footed the ball into the bottom corner from outside the penalty area.
And in the 93rd minute substitute Romelu Lukaku slotted in Belgium’s fourth with a low shot into the far corner from a tight angle.
From a challenge to “overturn” the result to a celebration that looked quite similar to the host team president’s signature dance move, the United States’ World Cup dreams not only came to a crashing halt in the last-16 fixture against Belgium but also became the centre of social media mockery following the controversial events of the past day.
