United States booked their place in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup with a 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in Santa Clara, although the win was overshadowed by a red card for striker Folarin Balogun.
Balogun opened the scoring before being sent off in the second half as Mauricio Pochettino’s side secured their first World Cup knockout victory over European opposition since 2002.
The hosts dominated proceedings from the outset, displaying energy and attacking intent against a Bosnia side that struggled to create meaningful opportunities throughout the contest.
Balogun broke the deadlock after reacting quickest to a deflected pass from Malik Tillman, steering the ball beyond goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj.
The striker’s evening, however, took a dramatic turn shortly after the hour mark when he was shown a straight red card following a challenge on defender Tarik Muharemović, with his studs catching the defender on the calf and ankle.
Despite being reduced to 10 men, the United States maintained control of the match and put the result beyond doubt late on when Tillman curled home a superb free-kick to make it 2-0.
Christian Pulisic also thought he had added a third goal in the 78th minute, but the effort was ruled out for offside.
The victory marked the United States’ first win over European opposition in 11 World Cup meetings and secured a place in the Round of 16, where they will face Belgium in Seattle on July 6 for a place in the quarter-finals.
Balogun’s dismissal, however, leaves head coach Mauricio Pochettino with a major selection headache ahead of the clash.
The 24-year-old, who has scored three goals in three tournament matches, has emerged as one of the United States’ standout performers at the World Cup.
His eventful outing also saw him become the first player to score and receive a red card in a World Cup knockout match since Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 FIFA World Cup final against Italy.
