USA Wins First Men’s World Cup Knockout Stage Match Since 2002

by Margaret July 2, 2026

July 2, 2026 7 views

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It took 24 years, but the United States men's national team finally won a knockout stage match at a men's FIFA World Cup.

With a 2-0win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, the U.S. won its first knockout stage match at a men's World Cup since 2002, when it beat Mexico 2-0 to advance to the quarterfinals in South Korea, and just its second knockout stage win ever.

Striker Folarin Balogun opened the scoring for the U.S. in the 45th minute after being called offside earlier in the match. Balogun is now the fifth American to score three goals at the World Cup, joining Landon Donovan, Bert Patenaude, Clint Dempsey and Brian McBride.

The U.S. went down to 10 men when Balogun was sent off in the 64th minute, but it got it the insurance goal it needed in the 82nd minute on a clinical free kick from midfielder Malik Tillman.

The U.S. now moves on to the round of 16 and will play Belgium at Seattle Stadium on Monday, July 6. It's a rematch of the United States' round of 16 match against Belgium at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.