The United States Men’s National Team advanced to the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday after securing a 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in their Round of 32 knockout match at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. Despite playing the final third of the match with only 10 men, manager Mauricio Pochettino’s squad maintained their defensive shape to eliminate the European side on home soil.
Forward Folarin Balogun opened the scoring for the host nation in the 45th minute, converting a close-range shot just before the halftime whistle. The match dynamics shifted heavily in the 64th minute when Balogun was ejected with a straight red card following a video assistant referee (VAR) review, forcing the United States to protect their narrow lead under sustained pressure.
The U.S. team effectively sealed the victory in the 82nd minute when midfielder Malik Tillman scored on a late counter-attack to double the lead. Bosnia and Herzegovina, featuring veteran forward Edin Džeko, failed to breach the home defense anchored by goalkeeper Matt Freese despite holding a numerical advantage. The USMNT now advances to the tournament’s next round.
