Mauricio Pochettino waved his hands towards the sky, incredulous. Weston McKennie’s face betrayed total disbelief. Folarin Balogun had been sent off after a seemingly innocent collision with Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Tarik Muharemović – the US striker landing a foot on his opponent’s ankle – and just like that, the United States’ high-flying World Cup journey had the feel of impending doom.
The temperature soared on a previously cool, sunny evening at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara. And it would not fall until Malik Tillman had his say. The substitute’s magnificently placed free-kick from the edge of the box put the finishing touch on a gritty 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina, a win that propels the co-hosts into the last 16.
“USA beat Bosnia 2-0 despite Balogun's controversial red card, advancing to World Cup last 16.”
“So proud of all my players,” Pochettino said after the game.
Balogun had given the US the lead before his dismissal, but it was the red card that defined the night. The Americans, reduced to ten men, dug deep. Christian Pulisic, quiet otherwise, had an early shot blocked by Stjepan Radeljić. “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.”
This victory marks the first time the US men have won a World Cup knockout match since 2002, when Bruce Arena’s squad reached the quarter-finals. Exactly 12 years to the day since they lost in extra time to Belgium at the 2014 World Cup, Pochettino’s team have set up another date with the Red Devils. They will face them on Monday in Seattle, Washington.