USA VS Bosnia And Herzegovina R32 Recap

July 1st was a historic day. The US took on Bosnia And Herzegovina in the 2026 world cup Round Of 32.

I think this game was great. I saw almost everything I wanted to see from the crowd and the players. I really wanted to see a goal from Tillman and from Balogun and they both scored. I think this was a great performance from the USMNT. Very complete. Very solid. We did not look like we were down a player at all. Bosnia and Herzegovina created 0.25 expected goals total in that game. And they were up a player! The USMNT did a great job of seeing the game out.

Ok, lets get to the game.

The stars and stripes started the game off the way they started other games off: shaky. Bosnia and Herzegovina almost scored an Olimpico goal. Then we took control. They created a couple chances but no goals until the 44th minute. There is a goal kick for the dragons, they take it long, then Tim Ream comes and intercepts the pass and heads it to Tyler Adams who flicks it to Malik Tillman who passes to Folarin Balogun but it is a bad pass and takes two lucky deflections to Balogun who meggs the Bosnian goaly and makes it 1–0.

Ok, 64th minute, the USMNT doing its thing up 1–0. Then Balogun gets a red card. A super soft red card. He steps on the ankle of Tarik Muharemovic. And of course in slow motion it looks nasty but it is not. It really is not. Funny thing is that was the first card the ref pulled out of the game. This ref was so bad and would not use his cards at all and the dragons just kept fouling and fouling. Then a soft thing happens then he red cards Balogun. Now we do not have him against Belgium. I thought for sure this would ruin our world cup just like how Italy’s game went. But it did not. Not against Bosnia and Herzegovina at least. Not at all. The Stars and Stripes rallied and were super solid defensively just like I hoped. ( I said it in the preview for this game) And managed some more attacks and another goal.

Now 83rd minute. Sergino Dest is dribbling just outside the PK box and a Bosnian player tugs on his jersey. The referee finally gives Bosnia and Herzegovina a yellow card. To me this looked like a shot for Malik Tillman. And it was. The goal keeper for Bosnia and Herzegovina lives the near post too open and Tillman takes advantage. He gets it up over the wall and in the goal. The stadium exploded. 2–0. That was the final score.

The Stars and stripes are in the next round vs the Red devils.