The United States reserved their land to FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 surprise as Malik Tillman scored a free-kick to seal a 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina after Folarin Balogun’s red card threatened to derail the hosts’ campaign.With the Americans reduced to 10 men and Bosnia pushing for an equalizer, Tillman’s moment of brilliance ended the contest and sparked wild celebrations at Levi’s Stadium.
Tillman’s stunning hit seals the historic victory
The USA looked to be in full control after Balogun scored his third goal of the tournament just before the break. However, the momentum changed dramatically in the 64th minute when the striker received a straight red card following a VAR review after he tackled Tarik Muharemovic on the ball.Forced to play the final half-hour with 10 men, the hosts faced many challenges before Tillman delivered an 82nd-minute strike.Standing on a free-kick outside the penalty area, the midfielder curled it hard against the wall. Bosnian goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj managed to get a shot in but only helped it into the net as the stadium erupted.See the goal here:Ironically, Tillman changed his right shoe after taking the piece after struggling with a bloody toe.“You never know when it’s going to happen. Today, it happened,” Tillman said after scoring the USA’s first direct goal at the World Cup since Eric Wynalda against Switzerland in 1994.
Pulisic praises fighting spirit after red card drama
Captain Christian Pulisic praised the team’s bravery after surviving nearly 30 minutes of man down.“We had to dig him deep. It didn’t go exactly to preparation with the red card, but this shows what a good team we are. We said in the hydration break, you know, this is what it takes to be a strong team. And, we did,” said Pulisic after the match.Head coach Mauricio Pochettino, meanwhile, disagreed with Balogun’s dismissal, saying: “For me? No red card.”Balogun will now miss the Round of 16 match against Belgium through suspension, but Tillman believes the squad has enough depth to cope.“He’s definitely a great player. We’ve got good players who can take his place, give their best, and hopefully get some good goals,” Tillman said.The win gave the United States their second men’s World Cup victory and snapped a 10-match unbeaten streak against European rivals at the tournament. They now face Belgium in Seattle on July 6, with a place in the quarterfinals at stake.
