A New Jersey town watched the U.S. play a crucial World Cup match and cheered its hometown hero, goalie Tim Howard, who made a spectacular 16 saves against Belgium, despite the team's 1-2 overtime loss.
North Brunswick Mayor Mac Womack declared Tuesday "Tim Howard Day," and the high school auditorium hosted a viewing party.
More than 150 fans gathered at his alma mater, erupting into wild cheers with each valiant save he made.
Ultimately, Belgium's Kevin De Bruyne beat Howard in the third minute of extra time, and then Romelu Lukaku scored 12 minutes later.
Howard told a reporter after the match: "It's heartbreaking. I don't think we could have done anything more. We left everything out there."
"Hats off to Belgium, they were fantastic," he added.
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Howard, 35, played soccer and basketball for his school.
One of his coaches, Ed Breheney, recently told the Asbury Park Press the school is "very, very proud of Timmy."
"Even when he was in high school, we understood that he was a special person. You combine his great athleticism with his leadership qualities, it's just the total package."
