U.S. men’s soccer team advances to World Cup round of 16 after 2-0 win over Bosnia
The United States defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 to reach the World Cup last-16, but striker Folarin Balogun was sent off and will miss the next match against Belgium.
The United States men’s national team moved into the World Cup round of 16 with a 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in Santa Clara, California. Forward Folarin Balogun opened the scoring just before halftime, but was shown a red card in the 64th minute after a video-review confirmed he had stepped on the ankle of Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic while contesting a ball.
Despite playing the final 30 minutes with ten men, the U.S. held on and secured the win when Malik Tillman converted a free kick in the 82nd minute. The result marks only the second knockout-stage victory for the United States in men’s World Cup history and the first since 2002.
Balogun, the team’s leading scorer, will miss the upcoming round-of-16 match against Belgium because of the suspension. Coach Mauricio Pochettino is expected to rely on forwards Ricardo Pepi or Haji Wright to replace him.
The win also ended a decade-long streak of defeats against European opponents, a fact highlighted by the team’s improved performance throughout the tournament. The United States now prepares for a Monday showdown with Belgium in Seattle.
