The United States Men’s National Team defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in their Round of 32 matchup at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The match ended Thursday morning. Folarin Balogun and Malik Tillman secured the goals, delivering the American squad their first knockout stage victory in 24 years.
Balogun broke the deadlock in the 45th minute. He slid a left-footed shot into the net after an interception and quick feed from Tillman. That early momentum completely shifted midway through the second half.
Balogun received a red card in the 64th minute following a video assistant review for a foul on Tarik Muharemovic. The ejection forced the US to play with 10 men for the final 26 minutes, plus double-digit stoppage time.
They held the line. Despite the man disadvantage, Tillman sealed the victory in the 82nd minute. He drove a free-kick from just outside the penalty box past goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj, a sequence documented in the live update record provided by Fox Sports.
The win ends a long drought against European squads. The US had gone winless in 13 consecutive World Cup matchups against UEFA teams since beating Portugal in the 2002 group stage, according to AP News. It also snaps a broader 10-game losing streak against European opposition across all competitions dating back to 2022.
The USMNT now advances to the Round of 16. They face Belgium in Seattle on Monday.