USA 2-0 Bosnia: A Historic Win, and Belgium Looms

Full match recap · Round of 16 preview vs Belgium · Early FanDuel odds

📋 The Recap: USA 2-0 Bosnia

The USA delivered the moment its co-host tournament had been building toward: a first World Cup knockout win in 24 years, and the program's second ever. Folarin Balogun broke the deadlock right at the end of the first half — the USA had dominated possession (62%) but managed just five shots in the opening 45 minutes, and it was their only shot on target that put them ahead. They nearly doubled the lead early in the second half when a lovely team move — Adams to Dest to Balogun — ended with Balogun's effort cracking the crossbar.

The match turned chippy in the second half, and just after the hour mark Balogun was shown a straight red card for a challenge that referee Raphael Claus judged reckless — a call that will be debated for a while given how little threat Bosnia had shown to that point. Suddenly the USA needed to see out more than 25 minutes plus stoppage time with 10 men, against a Bosnia side that had grown more dangerous following a triple substitution.

They didn't just survive it — they extended the lead. Malik Tillman curled a stunning free kick into the net late on to make it 2-0, a genuine moment of composure from a team playing down a man in a knockout match. Bosnia's historic first-ever World Cup appearance ends in the Round of 32, but they can leave with real credit for a run nobody expected. For the USA, the win snaps a run of futility that's defined recent tournaments: their first World Cup knockout victory since beating Mexico 2-0 in 2002, and their first win over a European side since 2021.

👀 Looking Ahead: USA vs Belgium, Monday

Belgium's route here was one of the wildest of the entire tournament. They trailed Senegal 2-0 with under 10 minutes to go — goals from Habib Diarra and a stunning Ismaïla Sarr strike had Senegal on the brink of a huge upset — before manager Rudi Garcia made the bold call to sub off Kevin De Bruyne and Jérémy Doku facing elimination. It worked: substitute Romelu Lukaku pulled one back in the 86th minute, Youri Tielemans equalized in the 89th to force extra time, and then in the 125th minute — the latest goal in World Cup history — Tielemans converted a VAR-awarded penalty to complete the 3-2 comeback. Senegal were furious with the call; Belgium didn't care.

This is also a rematch with real history. Belgium eliminated the USA in the Round of 16 at the 2014 World Cup, 2-1 in extra time — and the two goalscorers that day, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, are both still central pieces of this Belgian squad twelve years later. The two nations also met in a friendly this past spring, with Belgium winning 5-2, though a warm-up result carries limited weight against a genuine knockout tie. Belgium reached the Round of 16 for the third time in the last four World Cups, having made the quarterfinals in 2014 and the semifinals in 2018.

For the USA, the timing could hardly be tougher — facing a Belgium side that just showed it can score twice in four minutes when its back is against the wall, without their own top scorer. Expect Pepi or Wright to lead the line in Balogun's absence, with Pulisic, McKennie and Tillman needing to be even more involved in the final third.

📊 Early FanDuel Odds — USA vs Belgium

Final: USA 2, Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 · Goals: Balogun 45+2', Tillman late 2nd half · Balogun red card approx. 64th minute, USA played final 26+ minutes with 10 men · USA's first World Cup knockout win since 2002 (2-0 vs Mexico), first win over a European side since 2021 · Balogun expected to serve a one-match suspension, ruling him out of the Belgium match · Belgium beat Senegal 3-2 after extra time in the Round of 32, coming back from 2-0 down (goals: Diarra 25', Sarr 51' for Senegal; Lukaku 86', Tielemans 89' and 125'-penalty for Belgium) · Belgium eliminated the USA 2-1 in extra time at the 2014 World Cup Round of 16 (De Bruyne, Lukaku both scored that day and remain in this squad) · USA and Belgium played a friendly this spring, won 5-2 by Belgium · All odds FanDuel Sportsbook, early lines subject to change · To Qualify (reg+ET+pens): USA -110 / Belgium -110 · Method of Victory: Either Team in ET +460, Either Team on Pens +650, USA in ET +950, Belgium in ET +1000, USA on Pens +1300, Belgium on Pens +1300 · Belgium Team Total: O0.5 -500/U0.5 +340, O1.5 -104/U1.5 -122, O2.5 +340/U2.5 -500, O3.5 +1060/U3.5 -3500, O4.5 +3000 · BTTS Yes -176 / No +138 · USA vs Belgium, Round of 16, Monday July 6, kickoff 8:00 PM ET, Lumen Field, Seattle · Must be 21+ · Gambling Problem? 1-800-GAMBLER