SANTA CLARA, California — The United States men’s national football team advanced to the round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday evening after securing a 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina despite playing the final half-hour with ten men.
The tournament co-hosts sustained a numerical disadvantage midway through the second period when forward Folarin Balogun was dismissed from the pitch following a video assistant referee intervention. Despite the loss, a late set-piece conversion sealed the victory at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, scheduling a round-of-16 match against Belgium in Seattle on July 6.
The United States established control of the knockout fixture during the opening half, building attacks through midfielders Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie. The defensive unit of Bosnia and Herzegovina restricted inside space early on, but the deadlock was broken immediately prior to the intermission.
In the 44th minute, Balogun recorded his third goal of the global tournament. The AS Monaco striker positioned himself inside the penalty box to intercept a low pass, turning quickly to fire a low strike past Bosnian goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj into the bottom corner.
The momentum shifted significantly in the 64th minute when Balogun contested an aerial ball with Tarik Muharemović. While initially whistled as a conventional foul, Brazilian match referee Raphael Claus was instructed to view the pitchside monitor by the video officiating team.
Replays indicated that Balogun’s cleats made direct contact with the back of the Bosnian defender’s lower leg. Claus subsequently rescinded any initial caution and issued a straight red card, making Balogun the first American player ejected in a World Cup fixture since 2006.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino adjusted his tactical shape to account for the deficit, substituting forward personnel to reinforce the defensive shape. Bosnia and Herzegovina pushed numbers forward in search of an equalizer, forcing temporary goalkeeper Matt Freese to execute crucial saves against shot attempts from Ermedin Demirović and substitute Ermin Mahmić.
The United States extended its advantage in the 82nd minute following a defensive infraction by Bosnia at the edge of the penalty area. Midfielder Malik Tillman executed a curling free kick from the left flank that bypassed the defensive wall and settled into the top corner, consolidating the 2-0 margin.
The result ensures the Americans remain in the tournament on home soil, though they must navigate their upcoming knockout tie without Balogun due to an automatic suspension.
