The USA advanced to the Round of 16, beating Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 despite playing over half an hour with ten men.

Folarin Balogun broke the deadlock just before halftime, latching onto a deflected pass from Malik Tillman to slot past goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj.

The striker’s night took a dramatic turn in the 64th minute when he was shown a straight red card after a VAR review adjudged his challenge on defender Tarik Muharemovic to be serious foul play, a decision USA coach Mauricio Pochettino strongly disputed afterward, insisting there was no intent to harm the player.

Reduced to 10 men, the Americans dropped into a compact defensive shape and held firm against a Bosnian side that grew more energized after the sending-off.

The result was sealed in the 82nd minute when Malik Tillman curled a superb free-kick past the wall to double USA’s advantage, capping an impressive individual display that also included a role in the opening goal.

The win marks the USA’s first World Cup knockout victory since 2002 and ends a long losing run against European opposition on the biggest stage.

However, the celebrations come with a caveat, as Balogun’s red card means he will be suspended for the Round of 16 clash against Belgium, a side that eliminated the USA at the same stage back in 2014. The Americans will now have to find a way to replace their top scorer’s threat as they chase a deeper run at their home World Cup.

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