The U.S. men's World Cup run ended yesterday as Belgium defeated the Americans 4-1 before a sellout crowd in Seattle.

The big picture: The match was Seattle's sixth and final FIFA World Cup game, capping three weeks that saw the city emerge as a top host site.

Driving the news: Thousands of U.S. fans flooded the city's downtown yesterday, marching to the match while decked out in American flag paraphernalia and chanting, "U-S-A."

• More than a few arrived dressed as Revolutionary War patriots — complete with powdered wigs and blue military coats — despite the July heat.
• Bars and streets near the stadium overflowed with people who didn't get tickets, with many craning their necks for a view of the match on TV screens.

Zoom in: Inside the stadium, the crowd erupted early, singing "Take Me Home, Country Roads."

• But the energy shifted as Belgium seized control of the game, scoring its first goal in the ninth minute and its second just minutes after the U.S. scored an equalizer.
• The crowd fell nearly silent when U.S. goalkeeper Matt Freese came off his line to challenge Charles De Ketelaere, who poked the ball loose for Hans Vanaken to finish into a wide-open net.
• Some fans started gathering their things and making for the exits shortly after.

Friction point: After days of controversy over whether he'd be allowed to play, U.S. striker Folarin Balogun nearly cut into Belgium's lead on a second-half breakaway, but Thibaut Courtois made the save.

• Balogun — the Americans' leading scorer — was sent off on a controversial red card during last week's Bosnia-Herzegovina match.
• FIFA later ruled that Balogun wouldn't have to immediately serve the automatic one-match suspension.

The decision came after President Trump said he asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review the incident, fueling accusations of political interference.

What's next: Belgium faces Spain in Friday's World Cup quarterfinal at Los Angeles Stadium, while the U.S. exits the tournament.

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Microsoft is cutting 4,800 jobs — roughly 2% of its global workforce — including hundreds of jobs in Washington state.

Why it matters: Layoffs at the Redmond-based company will add to the steady stream of tech job losses that have hit the Puget Sound region since last year.

By the numbers: A notice filed with the state yesterday says Microsoft will permanently eliminate 605 Washington jobs — including 493 positions in Redmond — effective Sept. 4.

Driving the news: The company's gaming division is getting hit hard, undergoing what its top leader called its biggest restructuring ever.

• In an unusually blunt memo — shared publicly on X — Xbox CEO Asha Sharma wrote, "Our business today is not healthy."
• The division will eliminate about 1,600 jobs immediately, with plans to reduce its workforce by a total of 3,200 over the fiscal year.
• Those cuts will amount to about 20% of Xbox's workforce, per GeekWire.

What they're saying: Amy Coleman, Microsoft's chief people officer, wrote in another memo yesterday that the "roles eliminated today are not being replaced by AI.

• "At the same time, what is true is that AI is changing how work gets done," she wrote.
• "Some of the tasks we do every day can now be automated."

Flashback: The latest Microsoft cuts follow the company laying off 15,000 people globally last year, including 3,200 in Redmond, according to the Seattle Times.

What we're watching: Microsoft's restructuring may not be over.

• Coleman's memo notes that "there will be more changes ahead" and that "other parts of our business will need to make similar changes."

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🏫 At the advice of the city, Seattle Public Schools placed concrete eco-blocks to deter panhandling and camping near the district's Sodo headquarters. But that response is illegal under city code. (Seattle Times)

As of midday yesterday, Harborview Medical Center had treated a total of 86 people with fireworks-related injuries from the past week. That's up 65% from last year, Clarridge reports.

🛰️ Amazon says it has launched enough Leo satellites to start offering space-based broadband internet service later this year, setting up a direct challenge to SpaceX's Starlink. (GeekWire)

💰 Washington state lawmakers, Gov. Ferguson and Attorney General Nick Brown all got 7% raises last week. The pay bumps were approved by a citizens' commission last year. (Washington State Standard)

The owners of Bottega Gabriele, the popular Pioneer Square sandwich shop, have a new restaurant that serves pasta and is open for dinner.

Casa Gabriele is in a warmly lit basement, making it feel like a tucked away special spot.

• It's located across the street from its lunchtime sibling and offers multicourse meals with wine pairings. But you can also order a la carte.

What to try: The pasta alla genovese ($23) is dressed in a rich pork and onion ragù that simmers for five hours.

• It's a common dish in Naples, where co-owner and chef Gabriele Russo grew up, but rarely appears on U.S. menus.
• I was also happy to see a pasta featuring mussels and beans ($22). Legumes and seafood are a pairing I used to enjoy regularly while living in Naples but don't see much here.

Fun fact: Both of the restaurant's owners are Italian and named Gabriele — Russo's business partner, Gabriele Brownstein, hails from Sardinia.

Don't miss: The bomba carta, an after-dinner liqueur from Sardinia that is both herbaceous and sweet, is a perfect way to end your meal.

Stop by: 88 Yesler Way, Seattle. 5-10pm Wednesday through Sunday.

Tell a pasta lover