United States beats Bosnia, but loses Balogun for Belgium clash
Balogun scored and was sent off, leaving the United States short-handed for Belgium after a 2-0 knockout win over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Folarin Balogun scored, was sent off, and now will miss the United States’ Round of 16 match with Belgium after a 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. Mauricio Pochettino’s side advanced anyway, but the loss of its top forward sharpens the stakes for a team trying to prove it can keep scoring when knockout soccer turns unforgiving.
Balogun opened the scoring in the 45th minute, finishing before halftime to give the United States control. Malik Tillman then added the second in the 82nd minute with a free kick, a goal that mattered even more once Balogun was gone. The U.S. was reduced to 10 men in the 64th minute after a VAR review for Balogun’s challenge on Tarik Muharemovic, but FIFA’s match report said the Americans held on to complete the victory.
The red card now forces Pochettino to reshuffle his attack for Belgium at Seattle Stadium on July 6, 2026. Reuters reported that Pochettino called the contact accidental and said Balogun did not deserve a red card, while Bosnia and Herzegovina coach Sergej Barbarez said the decision was fair. However it is judged, the absence is a blunt one: the United States will enter its most difficult game of the tournament without the player who scored its first goal against Bosnia.
The result carried clear historical weight beyond the immediate selection problem. Reuters reported that it was the United States men’s first World Cup knockout-round victory since the 2002 Round of 16 upset of Mexico, and that Pochettino became the first U.S. men’s coach to win three World Cup matches. FIFA added that the Americans have scored two or more goals in all four of their World Cup 2026 matches, a sign that the team has found multiple ways to threaten even as Balogun’s suspension removes one of its sharpest runners in behind.
Belgium’s late extra-time win over Senegal set up the next test, and the path ahead is clear: reach the quarter-finals for only the second time in the modern era, and do it without the forward who helped get the U.S. there.
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