SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The U.S. group had the lead however now not had management. The primary-half objective scorer, , was within the locker room , leaving Mauricio Pochettino’s gang down a person for at the very least 26 minutes.
A visit to the Spherical of 16, seemingly inside attain moments earlier, was instantly in jeopardy in opposition to Bosnia and Herzegovina at jam-packed Levi’s Stadium.
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Then within the 82nd minute, when defending and willpower had been paramount, put the end result to relaxation with a free kick as fairly because the Bay Space climate.
The midfielder lifted the ball over the wall and into the left aspect of the online, punctuating a 2-0 victory and setting a date with on Monday in Seattle.
For simply the second time in its inglorious historical past, the U.S. received a knockout match. It was tense, controversial and, after 10 minutes of stoppage time, a stirring triumph earlier than a crowd of 68,827.
It was simply the second World Cup victory in 22 tries over a European opponent since 1990, the opposite coming in a large upset over in 2002. It was additionally the USMNT’s first knockout stage win since beating within the 2002 Spherical of 16.
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After successful Group D, the U.S. got here in favored in opposition to the third-place finisher from Group B. And for a lot of the late afternoon, the People had been the superior aspect. However Balogun’s crimson card modified the whole lot. He’ll miss the Belgium match.
As anticipated, Pochettino turned to the identical beginning lineup that dissected within the group opener June 12 in Inglewood, California. Many of the first-choice gamers had sat out or entered as subs within the inconsequential group finale final week.
was again in objective and , and captain had been on the backline. and Sergiño Dest occupied the flanks and and Tillman offered assist for , and Balogun.
McKennie was the one participant to begin each group match — and is the one American to begin each match previously two tournaments. Saddled with a calf ailment since halftime of the opener, Pulisic was within the lineup for the primary time since that curtain-raiser.
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The bench was thinner, nevertheless, as middle again (foot) and defensive midfielder (quadriceps) weren’t in uniform. Defender was obtainable after recovering from an ankle harm suffered within the final group match.
The People scored inside 11 minutes in every group match, however to count on that development to proceed would have been asking rather a lot. On the very least, they aimed to set the phrases and put Bosnia and Herzegovina below duress.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, nevertheless, was completely comfy absorbing stress, unfazed by runs searching for to pierce the penalty space.
Hazard did come up on the different finish of the sphere by way of set items and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s peak benefit.
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Freese was examined on an Eleventh-minute nook kick by 18-year-old Kerim Alajbegovic, who, with the goalkeeper preoccupied by commotion within the 6-yard field, tried hooking the ball straight into the online. Freese needed to attain again and use a two-handed punch to stop a objective.
Matt Freese had three essential saves in the course of the USMNT’s 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday in Santa Clara, California.
(AP Photograph/Julio Cortez)
Seven minutes later, goalkeeper punched McKennie’s cross off Robinson’s head and over the crossbar. Robinson’s momentum took his knee crashing into Vasilj’s head, prompting a medical delay.
Because the half transpired, the U.S. started to show gaps. Balogun’s pleas for a penalty kick had been dismissed. Then within the thirty first minute, excessive stress from McKennie and Tillman compelled a giveaway. McKennie equipped Balogun for a low end previous Vasilj, however he had been a shade offside.
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Bosnia and Herzegovina labored to mount an assault, and even maintain possession within the attacking finish, due to suffocating U.S. stress on the ball.
The squeeze paid dividends within the forty fifth minute. Ream received an aimless ball in midfield. Adams used a fast, no-look contact to feed the advancing Tillman with time and house to focus on Balogun with a by way of ball.
Two defensive deflections left the ball for the U.S. striker, who slotted a 14-yard shot between Vasilj’s legs for his third objective of the match. , elevating his knees and pumping his palms.
The half was hardly over. Between Alajbegović and Adams requiring medical therapy for head blows, the U.S. nearly doubled the lead when Dest arrange Balogun for a redirect that skipped off the highest of the crossbar.
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In all, 10 minutes had been added to the half.
No modifications had been made at halftime, however curiously, Bosnia and Herzegovina subbed out three gamers within the 51st minute, together with Edin Džeko, the 40-year-old striker who boasts probably the most targets in program historical past. Among the many additions was
The U.S. remained in cost, however with the margin so shut, the stress was unbending. Ream made a crucial intervention on a cross into the field to stop a positive objective.
The match then took a controversial flip within the sixty fourth minute when Balogun was red-carded.
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He and pursued the ball. Balogun’s proper foot got here down on the again of the defender’s proper ankle. It was not an intentional act. Nonetheless, video replay officers advisable a overview. Referee Raphael Claus dominated it was a severe foul and confirmed Balogun the crimson card.
Surprised by the choice, Balogun stood together with his palms on his hips. As he slowly walked off the sphere, he was consoled by teammates on the bench.
The U.S. had not acquired a crimson card within the World Cup since and Eddie Pope had been despatched off in a gaggle stage match in opposition to .
The U.S. method wanted to vary, from attacking aggressively to slowing the tempo, defending with grit and searching for alternatives to place the match away.
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Two further subs within the seventy fifth minute exhausted Bosnia and Herzegovina’s choices.
Pulisic’s obvious objective was correctly disallowed as a result of he was offside, however then within the 82nd minute, Tillman struck gold. He and Robinson stood over the set piece simply exterior the field. Tillman lifted it over the wall and between the close to publish and the diving Vasilj.
The view of the Spherical of 16 grew to become a lot clearer, and after a number of scares, the People celebrated.
Here is how the Spherical of 32 matchup between the USMNT and Bosnia and Herzegovina performed out in real-time:
Stay protection is over51 updatesWed, July 1, 2026 at 4:46 PM PDT
Yahoo Sports activities Employees
Nick Bromberg
Nick Bromberg
2002: Germany 1, United States 0 (quarterfinals)
2010: Ghana 2, United States 1 (Spherical of 16)
2014: Belgium 2, United States 1 (Spherical of 16)
2022: Netherlands 3, United States 1 (Spherical of 16)
Nick Bromberg
It wasn’t fairly within the second half — particularly the choice to ship off Folarin Balogun for a foul that regarded like a really clear yellow card — however the US received a implausible free kick objective from Malik Tillman and can face Belgium on Monday night time (8 p.m. ET, Fox) for the prospect to go to the quarterfinals for the primary time in 24 years.
Nick Bromberg
Bosnia and Herzegovina has flashed two photographs simply vast of the objective within the final two minutes. About 90 seconds to go.
Nick Bromberg
That is the primary time the USMNT has scored a number of targets in a knockout spherical recreation since 2002 … within the final recreation the USMNT received within the knockout rounds when it beat Mexico 2-0 within the Spherical of 16.
That is now the Spherical of 32, however it’s nonetheless a streak that went on manner too lengthy.
Nick Bromberg
The U.S. has efficiently burned off about half the stoppage time and has pinned B&H again at occasions as nicely.
Nick Bromberg
Matt Freese nearly helped Bosnia and Herzegovina get a objective again. He left his objective for a cross however didn’t get it, nevertheless, Chris Richards received in the way in which of the following shot and the U.S. was capable of clear the go.
10 minutes of stoppage time. I used to be off by just a few.
Nick Bromberg
There might be a lot of added time right here given the prolonged delays within the second half. Going to guess seven minutes or so.
Nick Bromberg
Nick Bromberg
The free kick was arrange by a foul in opposition to Sergiño Dest after he had his shirt pulled. Tillman took it from there with an outstanding free kick that ought to ship the US to the Spherical of 16.
Nick Bromberg
What a free kick by Malik Tillman! America is sweating rather a lot much less now!
Nick Bromberg
That’s a second objective flagged for offside for the US.
Nick Bromberg
It’s been a variety of one-way site visitors since Balogun’s crimson card. Bosnia and Herzegovina goes to be the group dominating possession from right here on it.
Nick Bromberg
Ben Fawkes
After the crimson card for Flo Balogun, the U.S. is right down to a -500 favourite to advance (was -5000 beforehand).
It’s going to be a nervous end for U.S. followers for the ultimate 20-plus minutes.
Nick Bromberg
America has, give or take, 25 minutes of defending to do with one fewer participant than Bosnia and Herzegovina. And that participant is the USMNT’s finest objective risk.
Mauricio Pochettino has not made any substitutions but. Will Balogun’s absence result in some subs quickly?
Nick Bromberg
It is necessary to notice that this was not known as a crimson card on the sphere — solely after a video overview
Nick Bromberg
And issues have modified mightily.
America is right down to 10 males. Balogun is off the sphere. And he’s now unable to play in opposition to Belgium if the USMNT advances.
Balogun was battling with Tarik Muharemovic and stepped on the again of Muharemovic’s leg and turned his ankle, although the step seemed to be unintentional.
What a possible enormous swing on this match and the whole World Cup for the US.
Nick Bromberg
Although that change in techniques helped create an awesome probability for B&H that Tim Ream snuffed out with a implausible interception of a cross. With out that, it regarded like a sure objective.
Nick Bromberg
Bosnia and Herzegovina have ditched the low block thus far in an effort to create just a few extra alternatives now that it wants a objective. That might play to the USMNT’s benefit if it might probably discover the house within the stretched protection.