USMNT advances to World Cup Round of 16 despite Folarin Balogun red card, will face Belgium

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The U.S. World Cup team had the lead but no longer had control. The first-half goal scorer, Folarin Balogun, was in the locker room after receiving a red card, leaving Mauricio Pochettino’s gang down a man for at least 26 minutes.

A trip to the Round of 16, seemingly within reach moments earlier, was suddenly in jeopardy against Bosnia and Herzegovina at jam-packed Levi’s Stadium.

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Then in the 82nd minute, when defending and determination were paramount, Malik Tillman put the outcome to rest with a free kick as pretty as the Bay Area weather.

The midfielder lifted the ball over the wall and into the left side of the net, punctuating a 2-0 victory and setting a date with Belgium on Monday in Seattle.

For just the second time in its inglorious history, the U.S. won a knockout match. It was tense, controversial and, after 10 minutes of stoppage time, a stirring triumph before a crowd of 68,827.

It was just the second World Cup victory in 22 tries over a European opponent since 1990, the other coming in a massive upset over Portugal in 2002. It was also the USMNT’s first knockout stage win since beating Mexico in the 2002 Round of 16.

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After winning Group D, the U.S. came in favored against the third-place finisher from Group B. And for much of the late afternoon, the Americans were the superior side. But Balogun’s red card changed everything. He will miss the Belgium match.

As expected, Pochettino turned to the same starting lineup that dissected Paraguay in the group opener June 12 in Inglewood, California. Most of the first-choice players had sat out or entered as subs in the inconsequential group finale last week.

Matt Freese was back in goal and Alex Freeman, Chris Richards and captain Tim Ream were on the backline. Antonee Robinson and Sergiño Dest occupied the flanks and Tyler Adams and Tillman provided support for Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic and Balogun.

McKennie was the only player to start every group match — and is the only American to start every match in the past two tournaments. Saddled with a calf ailment since halftime of the opener, Pulisic was in the lineup for the first time since that curtain-raiser.

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The bench was thinner, however, as center back Mark McKenzie (foot) and defensive midfielder Cristian Roldan (quadriceps) weren’t in uniform. Defender Auston Trusty was available after recovering from an ankle injury suffered in the last group match.

The Americans scored within 11 minutes in each group match, but to expect that trend to continue would have been asking a lot. At the very least, they aimed to set the terms and put Bosnia and Herzegovina under duress.

Bosnia and Herzegovina, however, was perfectly comfortable absorbing pressure, unfazed by runs seeking to pierce the penalty area.

Danger did arise at the other end of the field through set pieces and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s height advantage.

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Freese was tested on an 11th-minute corner kick by 18-year-old Kerim Alajbegovic, who, with the goalkeeper preoccupied by commotion in the 6-yard box, tried hooking the ball directly into the net. Freese had to reach back and use a two-handed punch to prevent a goal.

Seven minutes later, goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj punched McKennie’s cross off Robinson’s head and over the crossbar. Robinson’s momentum took his knee crashing into Vasilj’s head, prompting a medical delay.

As the half transpired, the U.S. began to expose gaps. Balogun’s pleas for a penalty kick were dismissed. Then in the 31st minute, high pressure from McKennie and Tillman forced a giveaway. McKennie supplied Balogun for a low finish past Vasilj, but he had been a shade offside.

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Bosnia and Herzegovina labored to mount an attack, or even sustain possession in the attacking end, because of suffocating U.S. pressure on the ball.

The squeeze paid dividends in the 45th minute. Ream won an aimless ball in midfield. Adams used a quick, no-look touch to feed the advancing Tillman with time and space to target Balogun with a through ball.

Two defensive deflections left the ball for the U.S. striker, who slotted a 14-yard shot between Vasilj’s legs for his third goal of the tournament. Balogun celebrated like LeBron James, raising his knees and pumping his palms.

The half was hardly over. Between Alajbegović and Adams requiring medical treatment for head blows, the U.S. almost doubled the lead when Dest set up Balogun for a redirect that skipped off the top of the crossbar.

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In all, 10 minutes were added to the half.

No changes were made at halftime, but curiously, Bosnia and Herzegovina subbed out three players in the 51st minute, including Edin Džeko, the 40-year-old striker who boasts the most goals in program history. Among the additions was Esmir Bajraktarević, the Wisconsin native who once played for the U.S.

The U.S. remained in charge, but with the margin so close, the tension was unbending. Ream made a critical intervention on a cross into the box to prevent a sure goal.

The match then took a controversial turn in the 64th minute when Balogun was red-carded.

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He and Tarik Muharemovic pursued the ball. Balogun’s right foot came down on the back of the defender’s right ankle. It was not an intentional act. Nonetheless, video replay officials recommended a review. Referee Raphael Claus ruled it was a serious foul and showed Balogun the red card.

Stunned by the decision, Balogun stood with his hands on his hips. As he slowly walked off the field, he was consoled by teammates on the bench.

The U.S. had not received a red card in the World Cup since Pablo Mastroeni and Eddie Pope were sent off in a group stage match against Italy.

The U.S. approach needed to change, from attacking aggressively to slowing the pace, defending with grit and seeking opportunities to put the match away.

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Two additional subs in the 75th minute exhausted Bosnia and Herzegovina’s options.

Pulisic’s apparent goal was properly disallowed because he was offside, but then in the 82nd minute, Tillman struck gold. He and Robinson stood over the set piece just outside the box. Tillman lifted it over the wall and between the near post and the diving Vasilj.

The view of the Round of 16 became much clearer, and after several scares, the Americans celebrated.

Here’s how the Round of 32 matchup between the USMNT and Bosnia and Herzegovina played out in real-time: