Belgium 2
De Bruyne 93, Lukaku 105;
United States 1
Green 107;
(after extra-time, 90 mins: 0-0)
Belgium finally found a way past inspired goalkeeper Tim Howard as extra-time goals by Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku gave them a laboured 2-1 victory over the United States yesterday and set up a World Cup quarter-final against Argentina.
Howard was in terrific form from the first minute when he denied Divock Origi and then made a series of excellent stops.
Origi also hit the crossbar before US substitute Chris Wondolowski missed a glorious chance to win it in stoppage time when he side-footed over the bar from point-blank range.
Belgium introduced substitute striker Lukaku for the extra period and he made an immediate impact, escaping down the right and crossing low for De Bruyne to show good control before slamming in the opening goal within three minutes.
De Bruyne set up Lukaku to drive in the second in the 105th minute and although American teenaged substitute Julian Green pulled one back two minutes later Belgium held out to complete a clean sweep of group winners in the last eight.
A lone protester, wearing a T-shirt with the slogan ‘Save Favelas Children’, interrupted the match in Salvador.
The game was temporarily halted in the first half by referee Djamel Haimoudi when the man ran onto the Fonte Nova Arena pitch and spent more than a minute walking around the field.
Security staff initially made no attempt to stop the pitch invader before they eventually ran on and apprehended him.
The intruder high-fived De Bruyne who then pointed him in the direction of the tunnel and the arriving security staff.
Belgium: 1-Thibaut Courtois; 2-Toby Alderweireld, 4-Vincent Kompany, 15-Daniel Van Buyten, 5-Jan Vertonghen; 6-Axel Witsel, 8-Marouane Fellaini; 14-Dries Mertens (60 11-Kevin Mirallas), 10-Eden Hazard (111 22-Nacer Chadli), 7-Kevin De Bruyne; 17-Divock Origi (91 9-Romelu Lukaku).
United States: 1-Tim Howard; 3-Omar Gonzalez, 23-Fabian Johnson (32 2-DeAndre Yedlin), 5-Matt Besler, 7-DaMarcus Beasley, 20-Geoff Cameron; 19-Graham Zusi (72 18-Chris Wondolowski), 11-Alejandro Bedoya (105 16-Julian Green), 4-Michael Bradley, 13-Jermaine Jones; 8-Clint Dempsey.
Referee: Djamel Haimoudi (Algeria).