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The USMNT's World Cup ride is never simple. On a chaotic night in Santa Clara, Mauricio Pochettino's side survived a red card and more than half an hour a man down to beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 at the 2026 World Cup. Folarin Balogun struck on the stroke of halftime and Malik Tillman sealed it with a sublime free kick, booking a Round of 16 date with Belgium and just the second knockout-round win in U.S. men's World Cup history.
It wasn't pretty, but for a team chasing a first World Cup title on home soil, grinding out a result like this may matter more than any highlight reel.
Balogun breaks the deadlock
Bosnia and Herzegovina came to frustrate, packing bodies behind the ball and daring the co-hosts to break them down. The U.S. dominated possession but found clear looks hard to come by, and it was actually Bosnia who threatened first — Matt Freese producing two smart early saves to deny Ermedin Demirovic after a deceptive goal kick caught the American defense napping.
Balogun had a goal ruled out for offside in the 31st minute, but there was no denying him on the stroke of halftime. Tim Ream intercepted a Bosnian goal kick, Tillman slipped the ball through, and Balogun steadied himself before nutmegging goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj for 1-0. It was his third goal of the tournament, tying Landon Donovan's 2010 mark for the second-most by an American at a single World Cup, behind only Bert Patenaude's four from 1930.
A red card changes everything
The complexion of the night shifted in the 64th minute. Balogun got tangled with Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic and came down awkwardly on his ankle. After a VAR review, Brazilian referee Raphael Claus deemed it serious foul play and produced a red card, leaving the U.S. to play the final half-hour with 10 men. Pochettino was adamant afterward that there was no intent, but the outcome stands: Balogun is suspended and will miss the Round of 16.
Bosnia sensed their chance and pushed forward, but the American back line — long seen as a potential weak spot — stood firm to keep a second clean sheet of the tournament. Christian Pulisic even had the ball in the net in the 79th minute, only to be flagged offside.
Tillman's moment of magic
With his boot split open and blood seeping through his sock, Tillman stood over a free kick just outside the box in the 82nd minute and delivered the moment of the game. From around 19 yards, he lifted the ball over the wall and dipped it toward the corner; Vasilj got fingertips to it but couldn't keep it out. At 2-0, it was the first U.S. World Cup goal from a free kick since Eric Wynalda in 1994.
Bosnia refused to go quietly, and the U.S. had to survive a nervy 10 minutes of stoppage time — a crucial Chris Richards block among the key interventions — but Pochettino's men held on. The win snapped a long drought against European opposition and delivered the first American knockout-round victory since 2002.
Next up: Belgium in the Round of 16
The reward is a heavyweight clash with Belgium, set for Monday, July 6 in Seattle. The Red Devils booked their place in dramatic fashion, roaring back from 2-0 down against Senegal with late goals to force extra time and go through. Veterans like Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Leandro Trossard still give them serious quality in the final third.
There's history here, too: Belgium knocked the U.S. out of the 2014 World Cup with a 2-1 win after extra time in the Round of 16. This time, on home soil, the Stars and Stripes will be desperate to flip the script — even if they'll have to do it without their leading scorer.
USA vs Belgium — World Cup 2026 Round of 16 tickets
Don't miss the USMNT's biggest game in years. Secure your seats for USA vs Belgium in Seattle on Monday, July 6 with LiveFootballTickets — your trusted marketplace for World Cup 2026 tickets.
