Malik Tillman's free-kick fires the USA past Bosnia and Herzegovina and into the Round of 16
USA beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 in San Francisco thanks to goals from Folarin Balogun, who was later sent off, and Malik Tillman, sealing their place in the Round of 16.
USA 2-0 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Goals: 1-0 Balogun 45', 2-0 Tillman 82'
Red cards: Balogun 64'
The United States hosted Bosnia and Herzegovina in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Mauricio Pochettino made sweeping changes to his starting XI, with Weston McKennie the only survivor from the final group-stage defeat to Türkiye. Captain Christian Pulišić returned to lead the line alongside Folarin Balogun, while Bayer Leverkusen's Malik Tillman also started. Bosnia, managed by Sergej Barbarez, made three changes from the side that beat Qatar, with veteran striker Edin Džeko leading the attack.
USA dominate but Bosnia hold firm
The hosts started brightly, dominating possession and pressing Bosnia back into their own half from the outset. Pulišić drove at the Bosnian defence early on, seeing a shot blocked just outside the box. Antonee Robinson headed wide from a McKennie cross in the 18th minute, and Balogun spurned a good chance in the 15th minute when Robinson's cut-back found him in space but his effort bobbled wide.
Bosnia offered little going forward, though Ermedin Demirović tested Matt Freese with a shot in the 10th minute, and an in-swinging corner from Kerim Alajbegović almost caught the goalkeeper out. Balogun also had a goal ruled out for offside in the 31st minute.
Balogun breaks the deadlock
The breakthrough came just before the interval. Tillman's through ball was deflected into the path of Balogun, who adjusted well before rolling the ball past goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj from inside the box in the 45th minute.
The USA striker almost doubled his tally in first-half stoppage time, heading onto the crossbar from close range after Sergiño Dest's header back across goal. The hosts went into the break 1-0 up, having thoroughly dominated the first half.
Balogun sees red as Bosnia push back
Bosnia made a triple substitution at the start of the second half, with Esmir Bajraktarević, Benjamin Tahirović and Ermin Mahmić coming on for Armin Gigović, Ivan Šunjić and Džeko respectively — the latter having pulled up with an injury. The changes gave Bosnia more impetus, and they began to ask questions of the USA backline.
However, the game's pivotal moment arrived in the 64th minute when Balogun was shown a straight red card following a review by the referee after a challenge on Tarik Muharemović. With a man advantage, Bosnia grew in confidence, with Demirović testing Freese in the 66th minute and Esmir Bajraktarević also forcing a save in the 68th minute.
Tillman seals it with a free-kick
Despite being reduced to ten men, the USA remained dangerous. Pulišić had a goal ruled out for offside in the 79th minute. Then, in the 82nd minute, Dest won a free-kick just outside the box, and Tillman stepped up to curl a superb effort inside the near post, with Vasilj unable to keep it out despite getting a hand to it.
Pochettino made further changes late on, bringing on Sebastian Berhalter and Ricardo Pepi for Dest and Pulišić in the 88th minute, and Giovanni Reyna replaced McKennie in stoppage time. Bosnia's Barbarez was shown a yellow card on the touchline in the 80th minute, while Stjepan Radeljić also received a booking. The final whistle confirmed a 2-0 victory for the USA, who advance to the Round of 16 to face Belgium.
