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Win or go home: The U.S. to face Bosnia and Herzegovina in World Cup knockout game
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Special Series Soccer Edition Follow the World Cup in the NPR App Find Your Station Sign up for Up First for Soccer Edition on Tuesdays The 2026 FIFA World Cup is from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Sixteen host cities across North America, including Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Seattle, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Boston, Kansas City, Miami, and New York/New Jersey in the United States. The NPR Network will have coverage from across the country leading up to and during the championship.
Soccer Edition How coach Mauricio Pochettino made believers out of the U.S.
in 2001 after fleeing conflict in their home country during the 1990s.
In Bosnia, Bajraktarević's parents and their families lived near Srebrenica, where some 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were killed in July 1995 in one of the only events in history formally deemed a genocide by the International Court of Justice. Multiple members of their families were killed.
Bajraktarević grew up speaking Bosnian at home, he has said, and stayed close with relatives who remained in Bosnia. Although he came up through MLS academies and U.S.
"He can feel the jersey he's wearing. "He knows where he belongs. He knows which team he plays for. fans have had many reasons to believe at this World Cup. The U.S. Ted S.
− Win or go home: The U.S.
+ The U.S.
− to face Bosnia-Herzegovina in World Cup knockout game July 1, 20261:00 AM ET Heard on Morning Edition Becky Sullivan
The U.S.
+ defeats Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0 in World Cup knockout round Updated July 1, 202610:08 PM ET Originally published July 1, 20261:00 AM ET Heard on Morning Edition Becky Sullivan
Malik Tillman #17 celebrates scoring the second U.S.
− men's national team has had an impressive start to this World Cup — winning its group and getting an advantageous path in the knockout round.
+ goal in the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday in Santa Clara, Calif.
− That round begins Wednesday with a Round of 32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Santa Clara, Calif.
+ Charlotte Wilson/Getty Images hide caption
SANTA CLARA, Calif.
− Manu Fernandez/AP hide caption
SANTA CLARA, Calif.
+ — In the second half of their pivotal, must-win knockout game against Bosnia-Herzegovina in the FIFA World Cup, the U.S.
− — The U.S.
+ men's national team needed a miracle.
In the first half, U.S.
− men's national team's ambitions of a deep run at the FIFA World Cup hang on something they have not accomplished since 2021: Beat a team from Europe.
+ forward Folarin Balogun had been the Americans' hero when his 45th-minute goal put the U.S. up 1-0. But then, in the 64th minute, he had become their reason for despair.
− World Cup team In Wednesday's must-win Round of 32 match at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, the Americans hope to finally climb that hill with a win over Bosnia-Herzegovina.
+ World Cup team A disastrous red card, given to Balogun for a cleat-first challenge on Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemović, had put the U.S.
− A victory would mark the first World Cup knockout win for the U.S.
+ dreams of a deep run at this World Cup in serious jeopardy.
− since 2002.
+ The Americans would be forced to play down a man for the final 35 minutes of regulation, plus ten minutes of stoppage time, giving their feisty opponents the chance to equalize and upset the hosts.
− Compared to powerhouses like France or Spain, Bosnia is a relative minnow of European soccer.
+ Then came the miracle.
After a yellow card on Bosnian defender Stjepan Radeljić granted the U.S.
− Ranked No.
+ a free kick near the top of the penalty area, midfielder Malik Tillman answered the Americans' prayers.
− 64 by FIFA ahead of the World Cup, the Bosnians fought their way into the tournament on an upset playoff win over Italy in March — then, they muscled into the knockout round after a 1-1 draw with Canada and a 3-1 win over Qatar.
+ Through a wall of defenders, he floated the shorthanded goal that clinched the U.S. win — and thrilled the crowd of 68,827 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.
− The Americans are the favorites.
+ It is the first victory for the American men in the knockout round of the World Cup since 2002.
− But no knockout game is a sure thing, as Germany proved Monday when it fell to Paraguay on penalty kicks.
+ The U.S. now advances to the Round of 16, where they will face Belgium on Monday, July 6.
− "For us, it's the final of the World Cup," said U.S.
+ They must play that game without their striker Balogun, who will be suspended due to the red card.
− coach Mauricio Pochettino on Tuesday.
+ Balogun has now scored three goals in three World Cup games so far, leading all American players.
− "If we don't think in this way, we are going to struggle."
The U.S.
+ He is now only one goal shy of tying the all-time record of goals scored in a single World Cup by an American man, set in 1930 at the inaugural tournament by Bert Patenaude.
Folarin Balogun of the United States (r) fouls Tarik Muharemović of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
− expects to field a fully healthy starting 11 for the first time in this World Cup, thanks to the return of star winger Christian Pulisic, who left the opening game against Paraguay at halftime after a calf injury was exacerbated when he was kicked by a defender.
+ A VAR review determined it was "serious foul play" and Balogun was given a red card.
− The U.S.
+ Michael Steele/Getty Images hide caption
After Balogun's red card, the U.S.
− went on to win that game 4-1 and their next one against Australia 2-0, with Pulisic sitting out.
Pulisic returned as a sub in the Americans' third group stage match against Turkey.
+ players knew they had to step up.
− "I felt great in the game against Turkey, so I'm feeling good this week," he told reporters on Tuesday.
+ "Keep going.
− "I'm definitely ready to go for tomorrow."
Playing for Bosnia is the American-born winger Esmir Bajraktarević, a 21-year-old native of Appleton, Wisc., born to Bosnian parents who came to the U.S.
+ Keep fighting," Tillman told reporters afterward.
+ "I think this game today showed our character."
U.S. defender Chris Richards said not having Balogun in the lineup against Belgium will be tough, "Ultimately we're going to miss him for the next game, but we know that if it's [Ricardo] Pepe or Hajji [Wright] or whoever the case is going to step up next, that they're going to do their job just as well as he did."
The loss ends Bosnia's run at the World Cup, their second-ever appearance after being eliminated in the group stage in 2014.
The American-born winger Esmir Bajraktarević came on early in the second half for Bosnia. The 21-year-old native of Appleton, Wisconsin, was born to Bosnian parents who came to the U.S.
− Soccer youth national teams, Bajraktarević formally switched his national team to Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2024.
Soccer Edition It's not just Cape Verde: African soccer is having a World Cup moment Bajraktarević scored the game-clinching penalty that sent Bosnia to the World Cup in its March upset of Italy, which was then ranked No.
+ Soccer youth national teams, Bajraktarević formally switched his national team to Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2024.
− 13 in the world. After his kick found the net, Bajraktarević tore off his jersey and held up the back of it, with his family name across the top, to the fans and cameras.
+ Then, he scored the game-clinching penalty that sent Bosnia to the World Cup in its March play-off upset of Italy.
− It means very much to him," said Bosnian coach Sergej Barbarez on Tuesday.
+ It means very much to him," said Bosnian coach Sergej Barbarez before the match, Bajraktarević's first time facing his birth country.
− He knows where his parents come from."
It is Bosnia's second World Cup appearance after being eliminated in the group stage in 2014.
U.S.
+ He knows where his parents come from."
U.S.
− won its group and has moved on to the Round of 32.
+ won its group, defeated Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Round of 32 and is moving on to the Round of 16 to take on Belgium.
− Warren/AP hide caption
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+ Warren/AP hide caption
NPR's Russell Lewis contributed reporting
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