Steely USA overcame Bosnia and Herzegovina and a controversial red card to reach the World Cup last 16 on Wednesday night. Malik Tillman's magnificent free-kick sealed a 2-0 win that propels the co-hosts into the knockout stage, where they will face Belgium on Monday in Seattle.
Red Card Shock and Gritty Response
Folarin Balogun was sent off in the 64th minute after a collision with Bosnia's Tarik Muharemovic, with the referee deeming his landing on the opponent's ankle worthy of a red card after a video review. The decision left teammates Weston McKennie and coach Mauricio Pochettino in disbelief. "So proud of all my players," Pochettino said after the game.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, the US held firm and created chances. The breakthrough came just before halftime when Tim Ream's clever pass found McKennie, who played a dummy to Tillman. The ball deflected to Balogun, who finished clinically. Balogun also hit the crossbar soon after with a header from Sergiño Dest's cross.
Balogun's Goal and Offside Drama
Balogun thought he had opened the scoring after 32 minutes, but his goal was ruled out for offside. The warning shot had been fired, however, and the US continued to press. Christian Pulisic, quiet for most of the night, had an early chance saved. "We had to dig deep for that one," Pulisic said. "It didn't go exactly to plan with the red card, but that just shows what a good team we are."
Bosnia and Herzegovina forced a save from Matt Freese early on, and Kerim Alajbegovic attempted an audacious Olimpico that Freese kept out. The US defense, marshaled by Ream, held firm even after Edin Dzeko was forced off injured for Bosnia.
Tillman's Decisive Free-Kick
With the US down to 10 men, Bosnia pushed for an equalizer, but the US never stopped pressuring. Dest earned a free-kick on the edge of the box, and Tillman stepped up to curl a beautiful dipping effort over the wall and under the crossbar. The goal gave the US palpable relief and secured their place in the last 16.
This victory marks the first time the US men have won a World Cup knockout match since 2002, when they reached the quarter-finals. "This is what it takes to be a really strong team," Pulisic added. The US now face Belgium, a team they lost to 5-2 in a friendly last year. But after this hard-earned win, there is a sense that these players could go as far as they want.
