USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina live: updates, goals, score and highlights | 2026 World Cup round of 32

Bosnia with all sorts of pressure in the attacking third. So far the US back line is holding up. How long can they hold on for?

Substitution!

Katic out for Memic and Kolasinac out for Tabakovic. 

Corner kick taken short and Dedic got a look at goal that was shut down quickly by Ream. 

This a very nervy moment for the US side out of the break and a corner kick to come for Bosnia. 

WE ARE BACK IN PLAY AFTER A QUICK BREAK. 

WE ARE AT THE HYDRATION BREAK FROM SANTA CLARA!!

Bosnia have been better since the red card. They look like they are growing in confidence, and the US look like they are up against the ropes at the moment. 

Ball into the middle and Ream made a meal of it. It was turned on by Demirovic who scuffed it and it was an easy take for Freese. 

Now that changes everything. Bosnia haven't been able to do anything in the attacking third but with a man up they will try a few more things, take a few more chances. 

RED CARD!!!!

UNBELIEVABLE!!! BALOGUN HAS BEEN GIVEN A RED CARD FOR THAT CHALLENGE!!! BALOGUN KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THAT. SCANDALOUS DECISION FROM THE RED CARD, AND HE IS NOT JUST OUT FOR TONIGHT HE IS OUT FOR THE ROUND OF 16, SHOULD THEY MOVE ON. 

The ref is going to the VAR review to see if there was anything more in that from Balogun. It would be awfully harsh to give anything here. 

Balogun and Muharemovic with a collision and it's the Bosnian defender that comes out worse for wear. He looked like he might have turned his ankle after that collision. 

Kolasinac sends it into to the mix from the far side and Demirovic was in the area, but Ream dealt with the danger really well. Better from Bosnia, who have to show signs of life in the attacking third. 

The US look like they are ok just sitting back a bit and letting the Bosnians try and made something out of nothing. They can afford to do so with the one goal advantage against a team that really hasn't show much in terms of attacking potential. 

Katic with a very ambitious effort from distance and might have been trying to catch Freese cheating. The keeper was expecting the cross but that shot went sailing over the crossbar. 

Will these subs for Bosnia change anything? They had a gameplan which they followed almost to a tee in the first half but that late goal changes everything. Now they need to figure out how to create a few chances. 

Substitution!

Dzeko, Sunjic and Gigovic out for Mahmic, Bajraktarevic and Tahirovic. 

Dzeko just picked up a knock in the first couple minutes of this second half and he is going to have to come off. 

Robinson sent a ball to the spot and Richards got a head to it but could only lift it up in the air harmlessly for the the keeper. 

Pulisic with a ball from the near side and a header out for a corner from Kolasinac will give the US an early set piece. 

The USMNT went into the break with all the wind in their sails. Can they carry on that same sort of rhythm coming out of the half?

WE ARE BACK IN SANTA CLARA FOR THE SECOND HALF OF ACTION!!!

If there was any question before the tournament, there is none now. Poch is one of us. Look at what the goal meant to him at the stroke of half time. 

Balogun kept on knocking on the door after this Dest lay off to the Monaco man. He didn't get the cleanest of contact, but almost bagged a first half brace. It went just off the crossbar but he's only going to come out of the gate more hungry after a busy first half. 

You have to be good to be lucky, and the USMNT's relentless pressure eventually cracked the Bosnia backline. It was a ball from Tillman that was never going to reach Balogun but somehow, after a couple of deflections it found it's way to the feet of the striker and he tucked it home for his 3rd World Cup goal. 

Balogun looked like he got on the scoresheet to put the US ahead but the flag went up after a terrible give away at the back from Bosnia. 

Balogun thought he had drawn a penalty after a bit of fancy footwork but the ref ruled play on and there was no VAR review to follow. 

NIkola Vasilj took a heavy hit by Robinson who was coming in looking to get on the end of a cross. His eye puffed up almost immediately and he had to ice it down at the break, but he got back up and back in goal after the coming together with the US defender. 

Freese was almost caught out by Alajbegovic from the corner kick. Bosnia created the first couple of chances although the US had way more of the ball in that first 45. 

It was tight and it was tense in that first half. Bosnia came out knowing that they were going to defend and take their chances when they presented themselves. Eden Dzeko got the first chance of the game off a long goal kick from the back. Freese was tested and was ready for the test from the former Roma man. 

WE ARE HEADING TO THE HALFTIME BREAK!!!!

Adams came in for a challange and caught Alajbergovic in the head. He went down in a heap before getting up a moment after. 

Adams in the middle of the park for Dest who nodded it back for Balogun who got a touch, not the cleanest, but it banged off the crossbar and over for a goal kick! What an end to this half for the US who won't want the break to come. 

Robinson to the back post for Freeman and the defender was just a step behind that ball on the back post. 

Balogun give the USMNT the lead right before the halftime break.

Adams is back on his feet and he looks like he'll be ok but he's going to have to go off for a moment. 

Adams was involved in a collision with Dzeko and he is really slow to get up. He's going to have to come off for a moment, at least. 

Balogun has been offering himself all afternoon from Santa Clara and finally his rewarded for his hard work. 

FIVE MINUTES OF STOPPAGE TIME!!!

Ream from the back, playing it to Tillman in the middle of the park and his hopeful ball was deflected by two Bosnia defenders and into path of Balogun who tucked it past Vasilj!

Tillman with a low driven cross to the front post and Balogun got a flick to it but he was always going to have his work cut out putting that on frame. 

Balogun just clipped on the near side and the foul is given for the US. Dangerous area just outside of the box. 

Tillman with his back to goal on the left side and he back heeled it to Pulisic who ran on to that ball and sent it across the face of goal but no one was making the run. Better from the US over the last couple of minutes. 

Pulisic sends it into the area from the left side and Balogun goes down complaining that he was being pulled down, but that was never going to be enough for a penalty. Balogun just looks a little frustrated right now after the early penalty claim went begging. 

The US understand now they are going to have to grind this game out. Bosnia are not going to give up anything easy. They are going to have to find their way to goal, and they will have to do it by being a bit creative against this five man back line. 

Balogun found the back of the net after some sloppy play at the back but Bosnia are spared of their blushes after the flag went up for offsides. 

The USA chants coming around the stadium after that goal was taken off the board. 

OFFSIDE!!!!

Balogun scored it after Tillman poked it away from the defender and McKinnie found Balogun at the top of the box. He took a touch and slotted it home but he was indeed offside. 

Very little to no contact on Balogun as Katic took a chance and got lucky there. No VAR review to come. 

Balogun goes down in the box after a fancy bit of footwork and the ref rules play on!

Pulisic hasn't seen a whole lot of the ball in the first portion of this match. That's probably by the book for Bosnia, but the US have to get their main man into this game. He had one chance that was blocked away, but they will need him to be more involved. 

We are back in play after a quick break. 

Robinson and Vasilj had a coming together and he was icing that eye down during the hydration break. 

Matt Freese was the first keeper tested today from Santa Clara. It was Dzeko who put the effort on goal after a huge goal kick from the Bosnia keeper. 

Tillman to the 6 yard box and Vasilj punches it away for a throw in after taking that shot to the eye just a moment ago. 

Ream to Tillman with a ball over the top and Tillaman fought his way to earning a corner. 

The medical staff gives the thumbs up to the bench and Vasilj is going to get back to his feet. 

McKinnie was released to the end line on the near side and he peeked his head up and sent in a cross that was palmed by Vasilj and ricocheted off Robinson over the bar. The Bosnia keeper took a knee to the head by Robinson and is still down getting treated be the medical staff. 

Balogun sent in behind the defense on the right side but a bouncing ball took a little longer to take down and his cross was blocked away by the defender. 

A quarter of an hour in and Dzeko had the best chance of the game so far. 

Tillman to McKinnie who found Robinson on the end line and he sent it back to Balogun who couldn't put the one touch effort on target. 

Tillman with a disappointing ball that never reached Balogun. 

Dest taken down on the near touchline and that will be a free kick from quite a ways away. Still a good spot to put a ball in and look for a touch on goal. 

The US have scored before this point in each of their last three games, but so far, they haven't had a chance to test the keeper Vasilj. This is a marathon, not a sprint. No need to get restless after a slower start than usual. 

Alajbegovic goes for the goal olimpico from the near corner flag and almost caught Freese out. He needed a two handed punch to avoid complicating things any more. Cheeky from the Bosnian. 

Massive goal kick to Demirovic who took it down right outside the area and laid it off to Dzeko who laced it on goal and tested Freese for the first time. Corner kick to come. 

Tillman with a fantastic turn in the middle of the park, and he played a 1-2 with Balogun which sent him towards the end line but he ran out of real estate. 

Great pressure in the midfield from the US to take back any ball they might lose possession of. It's going to be a long day for Bosnia if they can't find a way to string some passes together. 

Incredible scenes before this match. This country has transformed into a soccer loving nation. The farther this team go in the tournament, the more that “football” fever will grow. 

Tillman to the front post where Balogun was trying to get into to position but that was cleared away by Gigovic. He goes down and stays down for a moment after heading that clearance away. 

McKinnie makes a run to the end line and his cross is cut out and sent away for a corner. 

Short corner taken, and that ball to the front post was sent away by the Bosnians who have dealt with the first bit of danger coming out of the gate. 

Pulisic working his way from the left touchline to the top of the box and he let one loose from distance but that was deflected out for a corner. 

The USMNT have come out pressuring their opposition from the start and don't expect anything different from them today. Goals before the 11th minutes in every game. 

Fantastic atmosphere here from Santa Clara. The US fans have been in top form all tournament long, today is something else. Something special. 

That ball was put in by Alajbegovic into a crowded six yard box and Robinson got an important touch to it to clear the danger in the first minute. 

Corner kick for Bosnia 10 seconds in and an early chance for the “visitors”

WE ARE UNDERWAY FROM SANTA CLARA!!!

USMNT's 4-3-2-1 

Poch is going with Freese in goal, Freeman, Richards, Ream and Robinson in the back. IN the middle it's Tillman and Adams with Dest out wide, McKinnie and Pulisic on the left side with Balogun up top. 

The players are out of the tunnel. The anthems have been belted out here in Santa Clara. There is only one more thing to do. Let's get this thing started. 

Clear skies here from Santa Clara. No threat of rain in this round of 32 match. It's sunny. It's cool and it's a perfect afternoon for soccer from San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.

The time is now

There have been some big matches in the history of the USMNT. I don't think there has been one with this amount of hype, excitement and expectation. That will only grow the deeper this team gets into the tournament. How do they handle the pressure? We have 90 minutes to find out. 

This tournament. This World Cup, has a chance to change everything in the US Soccer federation. This goes way beyond tonight, next week or even the final on July 19th. This could have a lasting effect on this sport in this country. 

World Cup 2026

Roberto Carlos: “Hydration breaks are a great idea. I wish we’d had them in our day.”

RC3 not against the water breaks 

There has been a lot of uproar over the hydration breaks in this World Cup. People are saying that it breaks up play, and that is ruins the rhythm of the game, but one former legend would have loved to have a little break in the middle of each half. 

The Bosnian's have already made history by advancing to the knockout round but they will be hungry for more. Don't think that they haven't heard, read and seen about the US teams struggles against European sides. They will banking on recent results and this XI to get them through to the next round. 

Mauricio Pochettino is coming out guns blazing tonight. He is not holding back after resting his guys against Turkiye. It's the same XI as we saw in the opener. Let's see if they come out and dominate like they did in the first match. 

Late drama floods round of 32

How much more can we take of these late finishes? Belgium just won in stoppage time of the second ET session after coming back from two goals down after the 80th minute to send the match into extra time. That was just one of countless late, game deciding goals starting with Canada in the opening match of the tournament. Brazil needed a stoppage time winner as well.

FIFA rankings

Taking a look at the updated FIFA Rankings coming into today, we see Argentina has been bumped off their top spot by France after Les Bleus 3-0 win over Sweden. Spain, England and Brazil follow them in 3rd, 4th and 5th. The USA have crept up the rankings over the last few weeks. They are now in 15th after the group stages, while Bosnia and Herzegovina are way down the list at 61st.

Pulisic speaks before massive match tonight  

Christian Pulisic only played the first 45 minutes of the opening game before getting pulled at halftime with a calf injury. He missed the Australia game and played the last few minutes of the Turkiye game. Tonight he should be ready to rock in this win or go home match from Santa Clara.

Who is up next?

Getting to the round of 32 was a goal, but not the goal for this team. After their first two matches, there was a real belief around this team and there still is despite the loss to Turkiye. Getting to the knockout round is a means to and end. It's Bosnia tonight, but they will be hoping that their tournament is going to last a lot longer. The winner of tonight’s game will take on Belgium who just won a thriller over Senegal earlier today.

World Cup 2026

USMNT confirmed team news vs Bosnia and Herzegovina: Mauricio Pochettino’s XI for the round of 32 game

Mauricio's XI 

The USMNT is going back to what worked in the first match of the tournament. They looked unstoppable against Paraguay, and will be lookiing for more of the same tonight. Our William Gittens has more. 

BELGIUM JUST WON THEIR ROUND OF 32 MATCH IN STOPPAGE TIME OF THE SECOND ET SESSION. THEY TRAILED 2-0 WITH 10 MINUTES TO GO AND EQUALIZED BEFORE GOING ON TO WIN. THEY ARE HEADING TO THE ROUND OF 16 AFTER A MIRACLE!!!

USMNT XI 

Poch has released his XI for this knockout round match in the round of 32. He's going back to his best XI. The XI that played against Paraguay in that first match that looked so good to open the tournament. 

Star watch: USA 

While we know Captain America is the star of the show for the USMNT, but Bosnia know that too. That's why I’m going another route for our star watch. Folarin Balogun has had a breakout tournament after his two goal performance against Paraguay. He also created the first goal in the second match against Australia with his blistering pace up top. He has been the best on the pitch in the two matches he has played, and tonight he returns to the XI with some fresh legs after getting a rest against Türkiye. 

World Cup 2026

USMNT starting lineup vs Bosnia and Herzegovina: Mauricio Pochettino’s XI for the round of 32 game

Predicted XI 

With their World Cup lives on the line, Poch is guaranteed to go back to his big guns the XI. We pretty much know what this side looks like when he has a full deck, so our William Gittens has taken a stab as what the XI is going to look like against Bosnia and Herzegovina tonight. 

XI against Turkiye 

As we said, Poch took the opportunity to play some of his guys farther down the depth chart with a spot in the next round and the top spot in the group wrapped up. There was only one player who played each of the first two matches from the start, and that was Weston McKinnie. Ricardo Pepi played in the second match against Australia for an injured Christian Pulisic, but those were the only two that had been in Poch's XI before the final group stage match against Türkiye. 

World Cup 2026

Pochettino frustrated by USMNT criticism after Türkiye loss

Poch to critics after loss 

Mauricio Pochettino most likely wasn't too happy with the result against Türkiye to end the group stages, but he was more unhappy with the critics and the questions about his team after the match. This was just a bit of what Poch had to say after the match. "So far, nobody has congratulated us for finishing first in a very difficult group. I want to say that. We are a better team than we were before. I’ve been in soccer a long time. I know it was difficult for the guys to play without having something to compete for, and that’s why I’m happy with the performance." Here´s our David Nelson with more. 

Last game: B&H

After a draw against Canada and a loss to Switzerland, Bosnia and Herzegovina knew they needed a win against Qatar to have any chance of qualifying for the next stage of the tournament as one of eight third placed teams. Kermin Alajbegovic scored the opener with a wonderful shot from outside the area to put the his side on top in the 29th minute. Ibrahim Abunada then scored an own goal five minutes later to give B&H control of the match. Qatar would put one back just before the halftime break and make it a game until the 80th minute when Ermin Mahmic scored a goal on a loose ball in the box to put his side through to the knockout round. 

Last game: USA 

With their place in the group stage wrapped up and the top spot secured, Mauricio Pochettino went to his bench and looked to get some fresh legs and eager players against Türkiye. Auston Trusty got the US on the board with an early goal in the 3rd minutes, but Arda Guler made sure he wasn't going to leave this World Cup without a bang. The Real Madrid man scored in the 10th minute, and then split the defense open on a play that led to a Baris Yilmaz goal in the 21st minute. The US would respond after halftime with Sebastian Berhalter’s half volley to equalize just out of the halftime break. Guler would start the game winning play with a nutmeg on Pulisic, and on the final touch of the match Kaan Ayhan scored the winner to end their campaign on a high note and leave the US with a bitter taste heading into the round of 32.