U.S. advances – The United States advanced to the World Cup Round of 16 with a 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina in San Francisco, scoring through Folarin Balogun and Malik Tillman. A controversial red card for Balogun after a VAR review forced the Americans to close out the ma
The U.S. didn’t just get a knockout-stage win. It got one the hard way—after a controversial red card turned Wednesday night’s rhythm into something harsher, faster, and less forgiving.
In San Francisco. the United States men’s team beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0 to advance to the World Cup Round of 16 for the first time since 2002. The celebrations came with a price tag: Folarin Balogun scored twice. but after a replay and VAR review showed he caught Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemović with the studs of his cleat during a quick 50-50 challenge. Balogun was handed a red card in the second half and will miss the next game. Down a player for the final stretch, the Americans still managed to ride the momentum Malik Tillman had created.
When the match began, Bosnia-Herzegovina made a choice that was impossible to miss. Their head coach Sergej Barbarez switched the team to a 5-3-2 after playing in a 4-4-2 version during the group stage. That change included leaving former Revolution winger Esmir Bajraktarevic on the bench. From the opening whistle. Bosnia-Herzegovina sat deep in a tightly packed defensive structure. trying to smother the space the U.S. wanted.
The Americans kept continuity. Their lineup matched the one used in their 4-1 group stage opening win over Paraguay. even as it nominally stayed a 4-2-3-1 before quickly shifting to a 3-4-2-1 when the U.S. had possession. Antonee Robinson pushed into a wing-back role, and Alex Freeman tucked in as a third center-back.
The U.S. found its opening through persistence, even though the tempo never quite felt smooth at the start. With Bosnia-Herzegovina’s setup. the match settled into a stop-start flow. with multiple players down after tackles for extended periods of time. U.S. goalkeeper Matt Freese was forced into early action on an in-swining corner kick.
Eventually, the pattern became clear: if the U.S. could win back possession higher up the field—or sustain the ball and move it vertically with a few quick passes—they could carve a path toward goal.
That’s what happened before halftime. After a turnover that came from pressure applied to Bosnia-Herzegovina’s back line, Balogun tucked the ball away. The controversy wasn’t in the finish—it was in the timing and the position. The issue, called after the fact, was that he started the play in an offside position.
The U.S. still pressed for more. Even before halftime, there was another chance to put the game away. Bosnia-Herzegovina had a rare moment with gaps, and Balogun was fed a perfect cross from Sergino Dest. His effort bounced off the crossbar and went over the goal.
When the second half began, Bosnia-Herzegovina changed again. Among the moves was the introduction of Bajraktarevic. Their style turned more aggressive, trying to press the Americans to win back possession. That approach created only fractional openings. but it did the job of cutting down the U.S.’s shot opportunities in the first 20 minutes of the second half.
Then came the moment that will dominate the memory of this game: Balogun’s red card.
After going into a quick 50-50 challenge, a replay showed Balogun caught Muharemović with the studs of his cleat. After a VAR review, Balogun was subsequently handed a red card. It was harsh enough that Balogun can “justifiably feel like the officiating let him down” on Wednesday. especially because the U.S. forward had already drawn contact in the box earlier in the game yet was not awarded a penalty kick. With the red card, he will miss the next match.
Down to 10 players, the U.S. struggled to create much immediately after the dismissal. Still, the defense held without yielding too many chances, though there were a few nervous moments.
And when the U.S. needed a decisive lift, it came from Tillman. After the early part of the second half shifted under the weight of the red card. Tillman once again answered the call with an 82nd-minute free kick goal. It was the kind of moment that can change how a player is remembered across the tournament—especially for Tillman. who had been described as having a thoroughly underrated World Cup until that point. Even after scoring, Tillman kept working with the rest of the American midfield to help see out the win.
The scoreboard did more than end Bosnia-Herzegovina’s night. It also rewrote the U.S.’s longer story.
With the victory secured, the United States officially has a knockout stage win in a men’s edition of the World Cup for the first time since defeating Mexico 2-0 in the 2002 Round of 16. It also halted a 10-game losing streak against European opponents.
Now the focus shifts to Belgium. The co-host U.S. will face Belgium on July 6 in Seattle, and for American fans, the matchup carries extra sting. The U.S. was sent out of the tournament in 2014 in a dramatic game against Belgium. Twelve years later. this American group—more seasoned. more tested. and now carrying a win built through both goals and adversity—has a chance to return the favor.
United States men's soccer World Cup 2026 Bosnia-Herzegovina Folarin Balogun Malik Tillman VAR red card Belgium Round of 16 San Francisco Seattle