World Cup round-of-32 elimination match-up in Seattle now set
· Yahoo Sports
Belgium is coming back to their adopted, American home.
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Back to Seattle to play in the World Cup’s initial elimination round — and to then possibly play the United States in Seattle, too.
Belgium won its group and will play dangerous Senegal in the round of 32 Wednesday at 1 p.m. inside Lumen Field, which FIFA wants called “Seattle Stadium.”
It’s an intriguing match-up: A European power with proven, though aging stars against a challenging African side that employs speed.
If the favored Belgians win that match, the “Red Devils” will advance to the round of 16 in Seattle July 6. The winner of Belgium-Senegal will play the winner the U.S.-Bosnia and Herzegovina in Seattle July 6 in the round of 16.
The Americans and Bosnians play Wednesday evening in a round-of-32 match in Santa Clara, California.
Belgium routed New Zealand 5-1 Friday night. That and Egypt’s 1-1 draw with Iran Friday night in Seattle clinched a wild Group G.
Belgium has been training at the Sounders’ facility at the old Longacres Racecourse in Renton and based in the Puget Sound region this month throughout the start of the world’s largest sports event. Belgium played its initial group-stage match in Seattle June 15, a 1-1 draw with Egypt.
Senegal finished third in a rugged group behind tournament-favorite France plus Norway. Senegal won 5-0 over Iraq in its final group-stage match. That gave them a goal differential good enough to become one of the eight third-place teams to advance.
The World Cup is 48 teams this year, for the first time. This week’s knockout round of 32 teams is how many teams that played in previous World Cups.