USMNT Dominates Bosnia and Herzegovina, Clinching First Knockout Victory in Nearly a Quarter Century

The U.S. men's national team dispatched Bosnia and Herzegovina convincingly on Wednesday evening, with strikes from Folarin Balogun and Malik Tillman sealing a 2–0 victory at Levi's Stadium.

The result marked the USMNT's first World Cup knockout stage win since their quarterfinal run in 2002. The Red, White and Blue now shift their focus to a round of 16 showdown against Belgium on Monday in Seattle. 

After a tight opening half, the USMNT finally broke the deadlock in the 45th minute. Balogun capitalized on a defensive error, slotting the ball through Nikola Vasilj's legs just before the break. 

The moment wasn't without its setbacks for Balogun, however, as the dynamic striker received a contentious red card in the 64th minute after landing on an opponent's Achilles and twisting his ankle awkwardly. Following an extended VAR review, referee Juan Soto ruled that Balogun had committed a serious foul. 

Despite being reduced to 10 men for the remainder of the contest, the USMNT doubled their advantage through Tillman's free kick, which crept past Vasilj in the 82nd minute, wrapping up the win and advancing the USMNT to the round of 16—the stage at which the team was eliminated at the 2010, 2014, and 2022 World Cups. 

Before attention shifts to Belgium—who rallied from a 2–0 deficit to edge Senegal 3–2—and how the USMNT will cope without their top scorer, Sports Illustrated breaks down the performance of every player who featured on Wednesday in Santa Clara, Calif.

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The One Thing We Can't Ignore

When the USMNT was reduced to 10 men, manager Mauricio Pochettino was reluctant to alter his lineup despite the intense California heat and the added physical burden on his players. He waited until the 87th minute to make his first of three substitutions, and while it didn't cost the team, it is a concerning pattern to develop. 

Bosnia and Herzegovina lacked the quality to exploit a well-organized USMNT despite their numerical advantage, but Belgium under manager Rudi Garcia could pose a far greater threat. With five substitutes at his disposal, failing to make earlier changes—particularly with the result still in doubt—borders on negligence. Will Pochettino adapt his approach, or does he risk being tactically outmaneuvered by Garcia this weekend?

USMNT Player Ratings vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina (4-1-4-1)

*Ratings provided by FotMob*

GK: Matt Freese—8.0: It wasn't a particularly demanding night for the USMNT goalkeeper, but he was composed when called upon and helped secure the clean sheet.

RB: Alex Freeman—7.7: A resolute display in the closing stages before Tillman put the game to bed, Freeman produced one of his strongest defensive performances of the tournament.

CB: Chris Richards—7.4: Charged with containing Bosnia's aerial threats, Richards was a commanding presence in one of his more impressive defensive outings. He ended the night with an impressive eight headed clearances.

CB: Tim Ream—7.6: Even as Bosnia and Herzegovina introduced more dangerous and combative attackers late on, Ream remained composed and combined effectively with Richards.

LB: Antonee Robinson—7.8: After the USMNT were reduced to 10 men, the Fulham left back settled into a more disciplined defensive shape in possession and helped his side hold on for the result.

CDM: Tyler Adams—7.1: While Adams had a quiet afternoon, that is precisely what you want from the dependable midfielder, who was error-free throughout in the center of the park.

RM: Sergiño Dest—6.9: Dest provided solid defensive contributions when the USMNT dropped to 10 men, but was unable to make much of an impact in the attacking third.

CM: Weston McKennie—7.7: The Juventus midfielder was one of the standout performers on the field, posing a consistent threat in possession and building a productive combination with Malik Tillman.

CM: Malik Tillman—8.5: The free kick didn't land exactly where he intended, but a fortunate deflection arrived at the perfect moment. Beyond the goal, he was a key cog in the midfield and helped stifle Bosnia and Herzegovina's attacking play.

LM: Christian Pulisic—7.2: Tasked with providing creativity, Pulisic found it difficult to get past defenders out wide, but his movement drew defenders and created space for Tillman and McKennie to exploit.

ST: Folarin Balogun—6.9: It wasn't the outing Balogun would have envisioned, and his absence will be felt against Belgium, but his goal remained the decisive strike in a historic match.

SUB: Sebastian Berhalter (88' for Dest)—N/A: Helped protect the lead and completed four of five passes.

SUB: Ricardo Pepi (88' for Pulisic)—N/A: Registered eight touches and is likely to start on Monday.

SUB: Gio Reyna (90' for McKennie)—N/A: Touched the ball three times and lost possession twice.

Subs not used: Matt Turner (GK), Chris Brady (GK), Auston Trusty, Joe Scally, Miles Robinson, Brenden Aaronson, Max Arfsten, Tim Weah, Alex Zendejas, Haji Wright

What the Ratings Tell Us

The Numbers That Explain the Historic Victory

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