Co-hosts United States secured their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 after defeating Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in San Francisco, overcoming a second-half red card to keep their tournament dream alive.
Goals from Folarin Balogun and Malik Tillman proved enough for the Americans, who played the final 26 minutes with 10 men after Balogun was sent off. The victory sets up a Round of 16 showdown against Belgium in Seattle on 6 July.
For Bosnia and Herzegovina, the defeat brought an end to a historic maiden World Cup knockout appearance.
The United States dominated possession throughout much of the opening half, controlling 62 percent of the ball while attempting to dictate the tempo.
However, Bosnia created the game’s first clear opportunity.
In the 10th minute, Edin Džeko laid the ball off for Ermedin Demirović, whose effort from the edge of the area was comfortably saved by American goalkeeper Matt Freese.
Moments later, Kerim Alajbegović nearly caught Freese off guard with a direct effort from a corner kick, forcing the USA goalkeeper into another alert intervention.
The hosts gradually grew into the match. Balogun fired narrowly wide in the 15th minute before Weston McKennie and Antonee Robinson both came close during a dangerous attacking spell.
The Monaco striker thought he had broken the deadlock just after the half-hour mark, only to see his effort ruled out for offside.
Persistence finally paid off on the stroke of half-time. Following a series of defensive miscues involving Stjepan Radeljić and Tarik Muharemović, the loose ball fell kindly to Balogun inside the penalty area, and the striker calmly slotted home to hand the United States a deserved 1-0 lead in the 45th minute.
Balogun nearly doubled the advantage deep into first-half stoppage time but headed against the crossbar after an excellent delivery from Sergiño Dest.
Bosnia suffered a significant setback shortly after the restart when veteran captain Edin Džeko was forced off with a thigh injury in the 51st minute, handing the captain’s armband to Sead Kolašinac.
The match then took another dramatic turn. Following a challenge on Muharemović, referee Raphael Claus reviewed the incident on the pitch-side monitor before showing Balogun a straight red card in the 64th minute, reducing the hosts to 10 men.
Sensing an opportunity, Bosnia pushed forward in search of an equaliser. Demirović forced another fine save from Freese in the 66th minute as the Americans were forced onto the defensive.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, the United States continued to threaten on the counterattack.
Christian Pulisic thought he had doubled the lead in the 79th minute, only for his effort to be ruled out for offside.
Three minutes later, the hosts made the result safe. Malik Tillman curled a superb free-kick over the defensive wall and beyond goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj, giving the United States a decisive 2-0 advantage.
Bosnia continued to battle until the final whistle, with Alajbegović and Ermin Mahmić both firing narrowly off target during stoppage time, but the American defence held firm.
The victory sends the United States into the Round of 16, where they will face Belgium in Seattle in one of the standout knockout ties of the tournament.
For Mauricio Pochettino’s side, the performance demonstrated resilience as they successfully protected their lead despite playing more than a quarter of the match with 10 men.
Although Bosnia and Herzegovina bow out of the competition, the tournament marked another important milestone for the nation, whose first appearance in the FIFA World Cup knockout stage provided valuable experience and showcased their continued progress on the international stage.
Credit Photo : USMNT
