World Cup: More than 23 million people watch U.S.-Belgium game

World Cup: United States loses to Belgium, 2-1

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U.S. fans in Redondo Beach react during the American soccer team’s loss to Belgium on Tuesday. (Jabin Botsford / Los Angeles Times)

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In Redondo Beach, the mood is somber after the U.S. soccer team’s loss to Belgium in a thrilling World Cup match. (Jabin Botsford / Los Angeles Times)

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The end of the U.S.-Belgium World Cup match -- which Belgium won, 2-1 -- is a sad moment for American fans at a viewing party in Redondo Beach. (Jabin Botsford / Los Angeles Times)

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U.S. fans watching in Redondo Beach react to the U.S. team’s loss to Belgium on Tuesday. (Jabin Botsford / Los Angeles Times)

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A soccer fan kneels in disappointment after the U.S. World Cup loss to Belgium on Tuesday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Soccer fans on Pine Ave. in Long Beach watch Tuesday’s World Cup matchup between the U.S. and Belgium. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Jared Goldstein (left) and Daniel Zar (right) react after the United States scores during Tuesday’s loss to Belgium in the World Cup. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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Mayor Eric Garcetti chats with patrons at Buffalo Wild Wings near the Crenshaw Mall as they watch the U.S. play Belgium in World Cup on Tuesday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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A fan waves the American flag at The Bunker Hill Bar & Grill in downtown Los Angeles while watching the U.S. play Belgium in the World Cup on Tuesday. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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U.S. midfielder Jermaine Jones reacts following the team’s 2-1 loss to Belgium at the World Cup on Tuesday. (Yuri Kochetkov / EPA)

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U.S. head coach Juergen Klinsmann reacts during extra time. (Matt Dunham / Associated Press)

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Clint Dempsey gives a thumbs up to U.S. fans after losing to Belgium, 2-1, in extra time. (Natacha Pisarenko / Associated Press)

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Geoff Cameron, left, and Julian Green sit on the pitch after losing to Belgium. (Themba Hadebe / Associated Press)

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Fans in New York City come to terms with the United States’ loss to Belgium. (Andrew Burton / Getty Images)

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Belgium’s Kevin De Bruyne celebrates after scoring the opening goal against the U.S. (Matt Dunham / Associated Press)

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Belgium’s Kevin De Bruyne scores the opening goal against the United States during extra time. (Matt Dunham / Associated Press)

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Tim Howard stops the shot of Belgium’s Jan Vertonghen, one of numerous saves that kept the U.S. alive through the first 90 minutes of play. (Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)

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Jermaine Jones of the U.S. challenges Belgium’s Toby Alderweireld for the ball. (Themba Hadebe / Associated Press)

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Fans in Redondo Beach react to a shot by the United States during second-half action against Belgium. (Jabin Botsford / Los Angeles Times)

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Tasia Vlahakis, 19, and her boyfriend Matt Clayton, 19, join other fans in Redondo beach to cheer on the United States during their match against Belgium. (Jabin Botsford / Los Angeles Times)

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Fans at the Redondo Beach pier cheer as the United States takes on Belgium in the World Cup. (Jabin Botsford / Los Angeles Times)

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Fans on Pine Avenue in Long Beach watch the United States take on Belgium in the World Cup. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Fans gather at The Bunker Hill Bar and Grill in downtown Los Angeles to watch the United States and Belgium in the World Cup. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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Jermaine Jones controls the ball during the first half. (Guillaume Horcajuelo / EPA)

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The United States’ defense has to work hard to keep Belgium from scoring. (Themba Hadebe / Associated Press)

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U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard stretches to make a save during the first half. (Julio Cortez / Associated Press)

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Belgium’s Kevin De Bruyne, center, gets in a shot. (Julio Cortez / Associated Press)

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Geoff Cameron heads the ball past Belgium’s Daniel Van Buyten toward the Belgian goal. (Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)

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Alejandro Bedoya of the U.S. is tripped by Belgium’s Toby Alderweireld during the teams’ World Cup round of 16 soccer match. (Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)

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A fan shows off his stars and stripes before Tuesday’s match. (Natacha Pisarenko / Associated Press)

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Fans in Salvador, Brazil, cheer before Tuesday’s match. (Felipe Dana / Associated Press)

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Belgian fans prepare for Tuesday’s match in Salvador, Brazil. (Julio Cortez / Associated Press)

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Fans at a viewing party in Indianapolis cheer before the start of Tuesday’s U.S.-Belgium match at the World Cup. (Michael Conroy / Associated Press)

By Mike Tierney

July 2, 2014 3:11 PM PT

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OK, everybody, time to go back to work.

Team USA’s departure from the World Cup and six of the remaining eight games falling on a day off for most employees mean that work productivity in daylight can return to normal.

Nielsen recorded a 9.8 rating for ESPN with its telecast Tuesday afternoon of the U.S.-Belgium game. That translates to an average of 16.5 million viewers, second all-time for soccer on the network to the U.S.-Portugal game 10 days earlier (18.2 million). That game was played on a Sunday, which makes the most recent audience more impressive.

(ESPN is owned by Walt Disney Co. Wonder if the ride operators at Disneyland were permitted extra-long coffee breaks during the game.)

The viewing count for Spanish-language Univision was not too shabby. The U.S.-Belgium game drew 5.1 million viewers on the network.

ESPN’s online number peaked at 1.5 million for live streaming.

The quarterfinals are Friday and Saturday, with the third-place and championship games the next weekend.