The United States Men’s National Team moved into the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 following a 2-0 shutout win against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Played on July 1, 2026, at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California, the victory marked the program's second knockout stage win in the history of the tournament.
Folarin Balogun opened the scoring in the 45th minute. After a pass from Malik Tillman was deflected by Bosnia and Herzegovina defenders, Balogun rolled a shot into the net from approximately 15 yards out. This goal marked his third of the tournament, matching Landon Donovan for the second-most goals scored by a USMNT player in a single FIFA World Cup.
The match shifted in the 64th minute when Balogun received a red card following a VAR review, forcing the United States to play with 10 men for roughly 36 minutes of regulation and extra time. Despite the disadvantage, the U.S. doubled its lead in the 82nd minute through a direct free kick by Malik Tillman. The strike went over the Bosnian wall and into the net, marking Tillman's first goal of the tournament.
Goalkeeper Matt Freese recorded his second World Cup clean sheet of the competition, making three saves during the match to help maintain the shutout.
The victory marks the third win for head coach Mauricio Pochettino at a FIFA World Cup, the most for any USMNT manager. The United States is scheduled to face Belgium in the Round of 16 on July 6 in Seattle.
