SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) 鈥� Malik Tillman stepped up for a free kick with a bloody sock and a new right boot after being stepped on by an opponent as the United States scrambled to protect a one-goal lead, down a man in a World Cup knockout round.
Tillman delivered the goal of his life, and one of the biggest ever by a U.S. man at the , sending this American soccer fairytale into the round of 16.
鈥淚鈥檝e been dreaming about this game,” Tillman said after scoring the final goal in a 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday night. 鈥淚鈥檝e been dreaming about maybe taking a free kick and scoring a free kick. I鈥檝e practiced this in training and I think today I showed what I can do.鈥�
The round of 32 win set up a Monday matchup in Seattle as the U.S. hopes to make a deep run on home soil. in extra time at 2014’s round of 16.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about to keep dreaming,鈥� said U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino, who belted out 鈥淭ake Me Home, Country Roads鈥� as it played over the public-address system after 10 minutes of stoppage time. 鈥淚n football all is possible if you believe.鈥�
put the Americans ahead in the 45th minute with his third goal of the World Cup, then was sent off in the 64th for a red card.
had a goal disallowed for offside in the 78th, and Tillman helped seal the win when he curled in a free kick that got over the wall and on target from just outside the box in the 82nd. The ball went off diving goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj鈥檚 right hand and in despite the pain in Tillman’s bloody right foot from being stepped on.
Balogun dominated the first half and scored in the 45th minute. The Americans had to scramble after his foul for awkwardly stepping on Tarik Muharemovic and preserved the shutout despite playing short-handed for more than 30 minutes.
鈥淚t felt so comfortable, even down to 10 men,鈥� captain Tim Ream said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the way you want to feel. You don鈥檛 want to have that panic set in. You want have that calm and focus and we had that.鈥�
Pochettino became the first U.S. coach with three World Cup victories, and the Americans gained just their second World Cup knockout round win. They made it to the semifinals in the first tournament in 1930 by winning their group and won a round of 16 matchup against Mexico in 2002.
Balogun leads the U.S. with three goals, but will miss the Belgium match because of an automatic suspension for the red card, assessed by Brazilian referee Raphael Claus after a video review. Balogun stepped on an ankle of Tarik Muharemovic, apparently not intentionally.
鈥淥bviously the ref made a decision that he made, but I think it鈥檚 questionable,鈥� midfielder Weston McKennie said. 鈥淚 think there鈥檚 been many other plays like that throughout the tournament on other players that a card wasn鈥檛 given at all. It鈥檚 disappointing.鈥�
Balogun matched Landon Donovan in 2010 for the second-most goals by an American in a World Cup, behind only Bert Patenaude鈥檚 four in 1930.
鈥淥f course he鈥檚 a great player,” Tillman said. “We have great players who can replace him, and give the best they can, and hopefully score some nice goals as well.鈥�
The win snapped a 10-game losing streak for the U.S. against European teams dating to a tie against England in the 2022 World Cup. The Americans had lost seven games and tied six against European nations in World Cup play since beating Portugal in their 2002 opener.
The U.S. had started fast in the group stage matches by scoring in the first 15 minutes of all three games but it was Bosnia that had the better chances early. Matt Freese needed to make two saves early to stop Ermedin Demirovic following a deceptive goal kick that caught the U.S. defense napping and then again on the ensuing corner kick that Kerim Alajbegovic almost scored on directly.
Balogun took over from there. He had an apparent 31st-minute goal called off for offside and was knocked down in the box on two other opportunities before finally delivering. Ream intercepted a Bosnia goal kick at midfield and passed to Tyler Adams, who flicked to Tillman. The ball, with the help of an errant Bosnian clearance attempt and a deflection, found Balogun in the box. Balogun slid the left-footed shot past Vasilj.
Balogun punctuated the goal with his version of the LeBron James Silencer celebration, drawing a .
Balogun nearly scored again in first-half stoppage time but his shot from in close deflected off the crossbar and out of play.
Bosnia鈥檚 second World Cup trip was a success with a in the opener and a that helped the team advance to the knockout round for the first time. But it ended in disappointment.
鈥淲e had our moments after the red card,鈥� Vasilj said. 鈥淵ou could feel that there was something. The only thing that was missing was a goal. And then in the worst moment, out of nothing, I would say, a free kick and we conceded a second goal. After that it was really difficult.鈥�
___
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
