World Cup fever gave way to malaise Monday night when the United States Men’s National Soccer Team disappointed fans with a spectacularly bad 4-1 loss to Belgium.
This despite the presence of the team’s star player, Folarin Balogun, who had received a red card in his previous match. The infraction meant he should have been automatically suspended from playing against Belgium.
Instead, ahead of the game, President Donald Trump called Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, to protest the suspension. It was subsequently delayed, and Balogun was allowed to play.
Some fans ignored Monday’s bad weather to watch the game from Kidd Squid in Sag Harbor. While it’s not a sports bar, it has become the village’s de facto spot to view big sporting events.
More than one fan believed that because of Trump’s intervention, the team is now cursed.
“The Trump Curse is in effect,” someone moaned after Belgium scored its fourth goal. “It’s like when he went to watch the Knicks. That was the one game they lost.”
For sure, the team’s woes began early and lasted the entire game, while its opponents were sharp throughout. By the first hydration break, Belgium was leading 1-0 after a goal by Charles De Ketelaere (a forward who scored their second goal too), at around 18 minutes. His team had controlled play with seven shots at the net; the U.S. had zero. An “attack momentum” graphic told the story: It was tilted strongly in the Belgians’ favor.
Half an hour in, after Balogun was fouled inside the penalty area, Malik Tillman, an attacking midfielder for the U.S., scored on a free kick that deflected neatly off a Belgian player’s head. However, just over a minute later, the Belgians scored again. That was all they needed. The game was effectively over.
Nearly 100 years ago, in 1930, the first World Cup was held in Uruguay. The U.S. team finished third. It remains its best finish.
At that time a train station operated where Kidd Squid now sells beer. A stone thrown from its steps could have landed in George’s Pond, which is now covered by the parking lot behind Apple Bank. Any underground remnants are drained continually by a large pump, which dumps into the bay near the Beacon restaurant.
Kidd Squid had three separate viewing areas for the game. Inside, it was projected on the entire back wall. Outside, a television hung on the side of the building, but that area was exposed to the elements, and dozens of wet seats were empty -- except for two, occupied by a man and a woman, too drunk, or in love, to care.
A third TV was hung under an awning on the side of what was, until recently, the Sag Harbor Garden Center building. The interior of that building has been repainted white and now carries Kidd Squid-branded merch. Outside sits a pink phone booth.
The garden center left after Memorial Day, and its lease was taken over by Kidd Squid. The second half of the game found the small area under the awning filled with two dogs and about a dozen fans, many of whom were Argentines. Mauricio Pochettino, the U.S. coach, is Argentine. Grainne Coen and Rory McEvoy, the married owners of Kidd Squid, were also present.
“You should have been here for the England-Mexico match yesterday,” said Ms. Coen. “The energy was fantastic.”
Belgium scored a third goal.
The U.S. goalkeeper, Matt Freese, ventured far from his net and attempted to clear a ball but faltered. A Belgian forward, Hans Vanaken, stole it and easily kicked it past an awkwardly flailing defender.
“That might be the worst World Cup goal ever. That was spectacularly crazy,” said one man. “I’ve gotta go. I can’t even watch this.” He left.
Down 3-1 at that point, the crowd nevertheless stuck with the Americans, who showed life just before the Belgians scored their fourth and final goal on a sort of fast break.
“Trump’s going to talk to FIFA tomorrow to have the game reversed,” a man muttered as he picked up his things to leave.
The U.S. men haven’t reached the quarterfinals since 2002. Instead, it will be Belgium playing Spain tomorrow.
“I think that was probably the worst game of the World Cup,” said Mr. McEvoy. “So bad.” Even so, despite the rain and the general melancholy, it was good to watch it with a group.