USMNT's multifaceted win vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina bo...
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- The USMNT beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 32 in Santa Clara, Calif., just the second knockout-stage win in program history, and now faces Belgium in the round of 16.
- Folarin Balogun opened the scoring in the 45th minute before receiving a red card that forced the U.S. to play the final 26 minutes with 10 men; the Monaco striker has three goals this tournament against an xG of 1.3 and will be unavailable against Belgium.
- Malik Tillman sealed the win with an 82nd-minute direct free kick — only the second direct free-kick goal in USMNT World Cup history after Eric Wynalda's in 1994, the last time the U.S. hosted the men's tournament.
- Mauricio Pochettino's side showcased stark tactical flexibility, pivoting from a dominant high press in the first half to grinding defending after the red card, then a decisive counter-punch — what defender Chris Richards called showing "different formations in different styles."
- Chris Richards framed Balogun's absence as the next-man-up test, noting the team answered the same question when Christian Pulisic went down and insisting the squad is "more than just 11 players" heading into the Belgium matchup.
Why it matters: The U.S. advances as a tournament favorite from home soil for the first time in program history, but Pochettino loses his most efficient striker in Balogun (three goals on 1.3 cumulative xG) for a Belgium matchup that would deliver a feat the program has never managed: back-to-back knockout-stage wins at a World Cup.
