Tillman free kick rescues 10-man United States against Bosnia and Herzegovina

Open menu

OneFootball's home page

Settings

GOAL

2 July 2026

The

United States

advanced to the

World Cup

Round of 16 with a 2–0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina at Santa Clara, but not before Folarin Balogun's red card reduced them to 10 men for over 25 minutes. Malik Tillman's stunning direct free kick at 82 minutes proved decisive, sealing passage to face Belgium in the knockout rounds.

Bosnia failed to capitalize on their numerical advantage despite creating multiple chances, with Matt Freese producing key saves to preserve the clean sheet. GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from

v Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Follow the latest World Cup News on Goal.com

Tillman delivered the defining moment of this knockout clash with a perfectly executed free kick that curled over the wall and into the net at 82 minutes. The goal doubled the lead at a critical juncture, arriving while the hosts were reduced to 10 men and under sustained pressure from Bosnia.

Beyond the decisive strike, Tillman operated across multiple roles following Balogun's dismissal, taking responsibility for set pieces throughout and showing composure on the ball when his team needed it most. His flicked pass at 79 minutes created a chance for Pulisic that was correctly ruled out for offside.

His match-winning contribution transformed a precarious one-goal advantage into a commanding position that Bosnia could not overturn. The free kick effectively ended the contest and ensured the

progressed to face Belgium with their

hopes intact.

Freese produced a commanding goalkeeping display that proved essential to the clean sheet, particularly after Balogun's red card left the defense exposed. He made an early save from a shot outside the area at 10 minutes and denied Kerim Alajbegovic's audacious Olympic goal attempt from a corner just a minute later.

When Bosnia pushed for an equalizer following the red card, Freese stood firm. He saved from Ermedin Demirovic at 66 minutes and stopped Esmir Bajraktarevic's effort at 68 minutes, keeping his team ahead during the most intense spell of pressure they faced all evening.

His positioning and reactions allowed the

defense to withstand wave after wave of Bosnia attacks through 10 minutes of added time. Without Freese's reliability, the numerical disadvantage could have proved costly rather than merely uncomfortable.

Balogun's evening encapsulated knockout football's fine margins. He opened the scoring at 45 minutes with a composed left-footed finish inside the area, but his dismissal following a VAR review at 64 minutes for a serious foul on Tarik Muharemović transformed the contest entirely.

Before the red card, Balogun had shown his quality beyond the goal. He struck the post in first-half stoppage time after a pass from Sergiño Dest, coming close to doubling the lead. Earlier he had a goal disallowed for offside and miskicked a clear opportunity at 16 minutes.

The red card forced his team to defend their lead with 10 men for 26 minutes plus stoppage time and means he will miss the Round of 16 clash against Belgium. His absence removes the United States' primary attacking threat at the most critical stage of the tournament.

Yan Diomande, Gilberto Mora and 10 potential breakout stars of the 2026 World Cup

World Cup 2026 Power Rankings: Who are the favourites to lift the trophy?

Maradona's 'Hand of God, Zidane's headbutt, Messi 'completes football' and the 100 most iconic moments in World Cup history - ranked

Jamie Squire/Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

World Cup: Tillman’s free-kick seals Round of 16 spot for USA

Bulinews

Folarin Balogun red card: Why USA can't appeal World Cup call

Major League Soccer

One rule for Messi, another for Balogun? USA striker sees red in World Cup after controversial VAR call

The Independent

Transfer rumour roundup: Chelsea circle World Cup star Folarin Balogun; Arsenal ditch Sandro Tonali pursuit

Football Muse

United States pass Bosnia World Cup test – but at what cost? Balogun red leaves sour taste in the mouth

Predicting which clubs the summer's biggest free agents will sign for

There are still some massive names who are set to become free agents in the summer, with some high-profile deals due to expire at the end of next month.As speculation...

Tottenham: Why James Maddison was not awarded a penalty against Leeds as Premier League issue statement

Spurs midfielder denied a big moment on his return from injuryThe Premier League has explained why Tottenham were not awarded a penalty in their draw against Leeds.As the clock ticked...

Bento's howler delays CR7's first title in Saudi Arabia 😱

An ugly mistake by Brazilian goalkeeper Bento prevented Al-Nassr from winning the Saudi League title this Tuesday.Cristiano Ronaldo’s team was leading 1-0 until the 53rd minute of the second half,...