Ten-man USA beat Bosnia to reach World Cup last 16

USA 2-0 Bosnia and Herzegovina The United States overcame a second-half red card to defeat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 on Wednesday, ending a 24-year wait for a FIFA World Cup knockout victory and booking a place in the last 16. Folarin Balogun gave the co-hosts the lead just before half-time before being sent off early in the second half, but Malik Tillman sealed victory with a superb late free-kick to send a jubilant home crowd into celebration at Levi's Stadium in the San Francisco Bay Area. The win keeps alive hopes of a memorable World Cup run for Mauricio Pochettino's side, who will face Belgium in Seattle after the Red Devils staged a remarkable comeback to beat Senegal 3-2 after extra time. Roared on by thousands of supporters chanting U-S-A, the Americans made a blistering start, pinning Bosnia deep inside their own half with relentless pressing and quick attacking football. Christian Pulisic, restored to the starting line-up, was at the heart of almost every dangerous move, while Balogun's pace and movement repeatedly stretched the Bosnian defence. Weston McKennie and Tillman also impressed as the hosts controlled possession and created the better chances. The United States thought they had broken the deadlock midway through the first half, only for Balogun's effort to be ruled out for offside. Moments later, Pulisic also had the ball in the net, but his celebrations were cut short by another offside flag. Their persistence was finally rewarded just before the interval when Balogun found the breakthrough, finishing confidently to give the hosts a deserved 1-0 lead heading into the break. The match took a dramatic turn shortly after the restart. Balogun was shown a straight red card for a heavy challenge on Tarik Muharemović. Although the striker appeared to be making a genuine attempt to play the ball, the referee judged the tackle to be serious foul play, forcing the Americans to play the remainder of the match with 10 men. Bosnia pushed forward in search of an equaliser, but the United States remained disciplined defensively and continued to threaten on the counterattack. With eight minutes remaining, Tillman settled the contest in spectacular fashion, curling a magnificent free-kick beyond the helpless goalkeeper to double the Americans' advantage and cap an impressive individual display. It was a deserved reward for a spirited performance from the co-hosts, who showed both attacking quality and defensive resilience despite their numerical disadvantage. The victory also ended a dismal run of 10 consecutive defeats against European opposition at the World Cup and gave the United States their first knockout-stage triumph since 2002. With confidence growing and home support behind them, the Americans will now turn their attention to a mouth-watering last-16 showdown with Belgium, knowing another victory would move them one step closer to an unprecedented run on home soil.

World Cup 2026

Ten-man USA beat Bosnia to reach World Cup last 16