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Folarin Balogun scored before being sent off, but the USA held firm with 10 men as Malik Tillman’s stunning free-kick sealed a historic 2-0 win over Bosnia.
United States’ Malik Tillman celebrates with his USA teammates (AP)
The United States kept their FIFA World Cup dream alive in dramatic fashion, overcoming a second-half red card to defeat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 and book a place in the Round of 16 on Wednesday.
In front of a roaring home crowd, the co-hosts secured only their second-ever World Cup knockout victory — and their first in nearly 25 years — to set up a mouthwatering clash against Belgium in Seattle.
The hosts began brightly but were nearly caught out early as Bosnia looked to exploit the space behind the American backline. Veteran captain Edin Dzeko orchestrated the visitors’ best opportunities, first teeing up Ermedin Demirovic before goalkeeper Matt Freese produced another smart stop to deny a dangerous corner.
As the half progressed, Mauricio Pochettino’s side slowly took control. Folarin Balogun had strong appeals for a penalty waved away before seeing another effort ruled out for offside. The breakthrough finally arrived on the stroke of half-time.
Captain Tim Ream intercepted a Bosnian goal kick and quickly released Malik Tillman, whose pass took a fortunate deflection into Balogun’s path. The striker kept his composure to slot past Nikola Vasilj and send the California crowd into celebration.
The second half, however, brought a dramatic twist.
Bosnia increased the tempo after introducing fresh legs, and in the 64th minute, Balogun’s night took a sour turn. Following a VAR review, the striker was shown a straight red card for stamping on Tarik Muharemovic’s foot, leaving the United States to navigate the final half-hour with 10 men.
Bosnia sensed an opening, but Demirovic squandered a golden opportunity by firing straight at Freese. During the hydration break, Pochettino gathered his players into a huddle, urging them to remain composed as the pressure mounted.
Instead of crumbling, the Americans delivered the decisive blow.
Christian Pulisic briefly thought he had doubled the lead before being flagged offside, but the second goal arrived in the 82nd minute when Sergino Dest won a free-kick on the edge of the area. Tillman stepped up and curled a superb effort over the wall and beyond Vasilj’s fingertips to seal the victory.
Bosnia pushed relentlessly through 10 tense minutes of stoppage time, but the United States stood firm to preserve the clean sheet.
(with AFP inputs)
About the Author
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His…Read More
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