The American dream is over. After years of preparation, months of excitement and weeks of daring to dream, the U.S. is out of its home World Cup.Belgium was just too good for Mauricio Pochettino’s team, who came up comfortably short and succumbed to a 4-1 defeat in Seattle, where the occasion fell horribly flat.At times it was tough to watch. While Belgium was slick, fast and decisive, the U.S. was laboured, limited and error-prone.Charles de Ketelaere was Belgium’s hero with two early goals and, while Malik Tillman’s deflected free-kick had briefly given the hosts hope in between, Belgium clinically made its superiority count with second-half strikes from Hans Vanaken (via a horrible error from goalkeeper Matt Freese) and substitute Romelu Lukaku.Belgium will play Spain in Los Angeles for a place in the semi-finals after the latter saw off Iberian neighbours Portugal in a drab encounter in Dallas, settled by Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino’s stoppage-time winner.The result spelt the end of Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career and possibly his international career, too. He cried at full-time; the World Cup is the only major trophy he has never won in his glittering career.Monday’s resultsPortugal 0-1 Spain