U.S. advances to Round of 16, but Balogun's red card looms large ahead of Belgium clash

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The United States celebrated one of its biggest World Cup victories in more than two decades Wednesday night, but the jubilation inside Levi's Stadium came with a costly consequence.

Folarin Balogun scored his third goal of the tournament before being sent off early in the second half as the Americans defeated Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0 to advance to the Round of 16. The red card means the U.S. will be without its leading striker Monday when it faces Belgium in Seattle with a quarterfinal berth at stake.

Balogun was the best player on the field for nearly an hour before his night came to an abrupt end in the 64th minute after VAR upgraded his challenge on Tarik Muharemovic to a red card. The dismissal forced the Americans to play the final 30 minutes plus stoppage time with 10 men.

Instead of collapsing, the United States delivered perhaps its most mature performance of the tournament.

Malik Tillman put the match away in the 82nd minute with a curling free kick from just outside the penalty area that slipped through the hands of goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj, giving the Americans breathing room and sending a capacity crowd into celebration.

"We just told each other to keep going, keep fighting," Tillman said after the match. "I think this game today showed our character. You always keep on fighting, keep on giving everything. If you have a lead and something like this happens, you try to bring the game to the end and win it. That's what we did today." 

The victory sent the United States into the knockout stage for the first time in the expanded 48-team World Cup and produced just the country's second World Cup knockout victory of the modern era. The Americans reached the semifinals in the inaugural 1930 tournament after advancing directly from group play and had not won a knockout match since defeating Mexico in the Round of 16 in 2002.

It also ended another long drought.

The United States snapped a 10-game winless streak against European opposition in World Cup play, earning its first victory over a European nation on the tournament's biggest stage since defeating Portugal in 2002. Since then, the Americans had gone 13 consecutive World Cup matches without beating a European opponent, including the heartbreaking 2-1 extra-time loss to Belgium in the Round of 16 in 2014.

Now they will get another opportunity against the Red Devils.

John Panganiban-The Sporting Tribune

Team USA huddles before a 2026 FIFA World Cup match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Wednesday July 1st, 2026 in Santa Clara, Calif.

The matchup also comes less than 20 miles from the site of one of the country's most memorable World Cup defeats, a 1-0 loss to Brazil at Stanford Stadium in the 1994 Round of 16.

Bosnia-Herzegovina actually threatened first. Matt Freese made two early saves on Ermedin Demirovic after the U.S. defense was caught off guard by a quickly taken goal kick before Kerim Alajbegovic nearly scored directly from a corner.

Once Balogun settled into the match, however, the momentum shifted.

The Monaco striker had one goal disallowed for offside, appealed unsuccessfully for two penalties and repeatedly stretched Bosnia's back line before finally breaking through just before halftime.

Tim Ream intercepted a Bosnia goal kick near midfield and Tillman slipped a perfectly weighted pass into the penalty area. Balogun finished with a composed left-footed shot in the 45th minute for his third goal of the tournament, moving within one of Bert Patenaude's U.S. men's World Cup record of four goals in a single tournament, set in 1930.

Balogun celebrated with his version of LeBron James' "Silencer" celebration, drawing an approving reaction from James on social media.

He nearly added another in first-half stoppage time, only to see his close-range effort strike the crossbar.

Everything changed after the hour mark.

John Panganiban-The Sporting Tribune

Team USA Starting XI during a 2026 FIFA World Cup match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Wednesday July 1st, 2026 in Santa Clara, Calif.

Balogun's challenge on Muharemovic initially appeared destined for a yellow card before video review resulted in the dismissal, leaving the Americans to protect a one-goal lead with a man down.

Instead of retreating into panic, the United States defended with discipline before Tillman's spectacular free kick provided the insurance goal.

"We went down a man and nobody really stressed out," defender Chris Richards said. "It wasn't a perfect day by any means, but it was our day."

Richards said the team's message to Balogun afterward was simple.

"We've got his back," Richards said. "We know we're a team of 26, not just one. Whether it's Haji or Folarin or whoever the case is, the next guy is going to step up. One thing about this team is that we're really a big family." 

Tillman acknowledged the Americans will miss their leading scorer but expressed confidence in the squad's depth.

"Of course he's a great player. He's one of our top scorers so far," Tillman said. "We're going to miss him, but I think we have great players who can replace him and give their best and hopefully score some goals for us as well." 

Tillman's decisive free kick came after an unusual sequence. He revealed afterward that he had to change boots moments before taking the set piece because one had been torn after an opponent stepped on it.

"I've practiced this in training, and I'm happy it went in," Tillman said. "We talked about going under the wall, around the wall, over the wall. I know some guys doubted me to go over the wall." 

The clean sheet continued the defensive improvement that has become one of the biggest stories of the American run.

"There were a lot of question marks about our whole team coming into the tournament," Richards said. "Game by game, we've started to prove people wrong. We've kept two clean sheets in the last four games, and that gives us a lot of confidence going into the next round." 

That confidence will be tested Monday in Seattle.

The United States will face a Belgium side it defeated one psychological barrier against Wednesday night, but one that now arrives with added intrigue. The Americans will have to find a way to replace Balogun's goals, movement and finishing against one of Europe's traditional powers.

"It's going to be a tough game," Tillman said. "But this game today can give us a lot of confidence. We just have to keep going the same way that we have so far."