The United States are still alive at their home World Cup.
A 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina sent the co-hosts into the round of 16 and gave the American crowd another night to believe in a deeper run. It was not always comfortable, and it was certainly not without controversy, but it was enough.
For the USA, the result brought progress. For Folarin Balogun, it brought both joy and frustration.
The striker scored the opening goal, then saw his night turn sharply when he was shown a red card in the second half. That decision means the Americans will have to face Belgium without one of their most important attacking players.
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A win with a heavy price
According to TV 2 Sport, the USA beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0 and will now meet Belgium in the next round.
Balogun gave the hosts the breakthrough before the interval, putting the United States in control of a match that carried clear knockout pressure.
But the mood changed after the break.
The forward was sent off following a challenge on Tarik Muharemović, leaving the USA to finish the match with ten men. From there, the game became less about fluency and more about survival.
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The Americans managed both.
Tillman settles it late
Bosnia-Herzegovina pushed for a way back into the match, but the USA held firm.
The decisive second goal came through Malik Tillman, whose free-kick gave the home side breathing room and effectively ended Bosnia-Herzegovina’s hopes.
Described by The Guardian, Tillman’s goal sealed a 2-0 win for a ten-man USA team and confirmed their place in the last 16.
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It was not a polished American performance from start to finish, but knockout football rarely cares about that.
The USA found a way through a difficult night, and that may matter more than style at this stage of the tournament.
Balogun will miss Belgium
The victory still leaves Mauricio Pochettino with a major problem.
Quoted by The Guardian, a US Soccer spokesperson confirmed that the automatic one-game suspension for a straight red card cannot be appealed.
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That means Balogun will miss the round-of-16 match against Belgium.
It is a significant blow. Balogun has been one of the USA’s main threats at the tournament, and his movement, speed and finishing have helped give the team a sharper edge in attack.
Without him, Pochettino must decide whether to change the structure of the side or ask another forward to take on the role.
Belgium waits in Seattle
Reported by Axios, the United States will face Belgium in Seattle on Monday.
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It is a step up in quality and pressure.
Belgium reached the round of 16 after coming from two goals down to beat Senegal 3-2, a result that showed both their vulnerability and their experience.
For the USA, the challenge is clear. They must carry the momentum from the Bosnia-Herzegovina win while finding a way to replace Balogun’s influence in attack.
The home crowd will give them energy. The knockout stage will give them no margin for error.
The United States survived one tense night with ten men.
Against Belgium, they will need something even better.
