A US fan reacts while watching the United States play Belgium in the World Cup on a projected screen under the Manhattan Bridge on Tuesday (US time) in the Dumbo neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough of New York. Photo: AFP

 Belgium broke US hearts with two extra-time goals in a 2-1 World Cup win Tuesday, but the Americans depart soccer's global showcase having garnered a raft of new fans back home.

Thousands turned out at Veterans Park in Redondo Beach, California, a coastal town just south of Los Angeles, to watch Jurgen Klinsmann's plucky men battle Belgium for a quarterfinal berth.

It was just one of the many "watch parties" that have drawn huge crowds in cities across the country, and included not only longtime fans of soccer and the US team, but also those like Jackie Marchand, who described herself as a "new soccer fan."

Marchand said her interest had been piqued during the 2010 World Cup, but this year she's found herself drawn more and more to "the drama and excitement of this game," a game that has famously­ struggled for popularity in sports-mad America.

"This demands attention," said Marchand, a writer for children's television programs. "You can't turn away or you will miss something.

"There's a joy in this game. It makes people so happy. I think it makes people happier than a lot of other sports."

The atmosphere at the beachside ­venue was festive, many fans draped in US flags or with their faces painted in the stars and stripes.

They mingled effortlessly with ­swimsuit-clad onlookers wandering up from the beach to see what the fuss was all about.

Pre-game chants of "I Believe That We Can Win!" gave way to gasps and groans at the close calls for each side, the tension mounting as full time approached and neither the United States nor Belgium had scored.

When Belgium's Kevin de Bruyne finally broke the deadlock in the 93rd minute, a collective sigh seemed to ­escape the crowd, before defiant chants of "U-S-A" rang out once more.

Romelu Lukaku's 105th-minute strike to double the lead brought a shocked hush, and had a few packing up their picnics and heading for their cars.

Those that stayed were rewarded with teenaged substitute Julian Green's goal that halved the deficit, keeping fans glued to the match and cheering until the final whistle.

The viewing party was hosted by the Los Angeles Galaxy, and Brendan Hannan, senior director of communications for the Galaxy, said he wasn't surprised at the turnout, or at the strong Stateside interest in the World Cup.

More than 15 million Americans tuned in to watch Germany defeat the United States 1-0 in their World Cup group finale, broadcasters ESPN and Univision reported.

The Americans' previous 2-2 draw with Portugal pulled in an average 18.2 million viewers on ESPN alone to become what the network called "the most-viewed soccer match in the United States ever."

Hannan said he thought interest in soccer among US sports fans was ­"underreported," noting that in many markets, including Los Angeles and Seattle, Major League soccer teams routinely draw crowds that rival those of NHL or even some NBA teams.

Galaxy employees meanwhile worked the crowd, offering free giveaways and touting their team to prospective ticket buyers.

Sam Saig, who works in season ticket sales for the Galaxy, said it was too soon to tell if World Cup interest would translate into season ticket purchases.

"We're meeting a lot of people - we'll see what that translates into," he said. "I can tell you our phone has been ringing like crazy - our inbound calls are up a lot. We hope it translates after."