After playing the first four games of the World Cup, the nation was reinvigorated. The US soccer team spent much of Monday night’s contest against Belgium looking for answers, losing 4-1.

A controversial decision from the FIFA headquarters to suspend Folarin Balogun’s red card immediately put a target on the backs of the host nation. A decision that rarely occurs, Balogun was allowed to compete in the match, but ultimately it was not enough for the Stars and Stripes to pull through.

Much like 2014, the Belgium offense smothered the USMNT.

Belgium used early doses of counterattacks to throttle Matt Freese and force him to make two saves early in the contest. Looking uncomfortable from the jump, the USA defense never got into the right positions. Constantly allowing free runners and scoring opportunities.

The clean sheet for the US was wiped off the board in the 9^th minute by what was the first of two goals by Charles De Ketelaere. A cross went untouched in front of the net, leaving the ball on the 25-year-old midfielder’s boot for a simple tap-in to leave the US in a deficit early.

Scrambling for an answer, the US settled in and found some time in the attacking zone to follow the conceited goal, eventually leading for newfound hero Malik Tillman to get fouled and awarded a free kick, roughly the same distance from the net as his nation igniting kick in the previous round against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

He buried it, game tied 1-1 in the 31^st minute of the match.

Before the US fans could sit back down, Belgium struck like lightning. Into the US zone, awarded a corner kick, and off the set play, De Ketelaere outjumped US Captain Tim Ream, heading his second goal of the contest.

The highest of highs with tying the match, to the lowest of lows, losing all momentum.

That is where the match last seemed competitive. Belgium outclassed the US all night long.

Nothing came easy for the Stars and Stripes. Struggling to get time in the Belgium zone, passes being intercepted, allowing counterattacks with no threat on the opposite end. The US walked out of the match with only 6 shots and 2 shots on goal.

A 57^th minute goal by Hans Vanaken in the early in the second half added to what appeared to be a tall ask of the US to fight back into the game.

A whiff on a kick out of the net by Keeper Matt Freese allowed Vanaken to pick his pocket and shoot on an open net. A moment that served as a microcosm of the match. The US looked out of place.

Immediately after conceding the goal, US star Christian Pulisic asked out of the game and got subbed out. A waiving of the white flag from the US focal point.

To add a cherry on top, Romelu Lukaku scored in the 93^rd minute of the contest with little defense being played by the US, and proceeded to hold up the “L” and do the infamous “Donald Trump” dance, sending the US out in embarrassing fashion.

For a month, Team USA captured the imagination of the country and helped turn the World Cup into the center of the American sports conversation. The run featured memorable moments, dramatic victories and a belief that this squad could accomplish something no U.S. men's team ever had before. But when the stakes were at their highest, Belgium proved to be on another level.

The 4-1 defeat was a harsh ending to a tournament that had inspired so much optimism, exposing the gap that still exists between the United States and the world’s elite soccer nations. While the scoreline will leave a bitter taste, it should not erase what this team accomplished in bringing the sport into the spotlight and giving fans a glimpse of what the future could hold.

Instead of celebrating a historic breakthrough, the United States heads home with questions about what comes next. The dream of a deep World Cup run will have to wait another four years, while Belgium marches on and the Americans are left to wonder what might have been.