Red card and free-kick gem as USA sends Bosnia home from World Cup

The United States secured their place in the next round of the World Cup by defeating Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0 in a tense knockout match. The victory, however, was not without its drama, as American forward Folarin Balogun, who opened the scoring, was sent off in the second half.

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It's not about a tackle. He's simply very unlucky.

Balogun gave the hosts the lead in the first half, marking his third goal of the tournament. Shortly after, he was involved in a controversial incident where he stepped on the ankle of Bosnia's Tarik Muharemović. Following a VAR review, Balogun received a red card, leaving the USA to play with ten men for a significant portion of the second half.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, the USA extended their lead through a stunning free-kick from Malik Tillman. The goal effectively sealed the win and sent Bosnia-Herzegovina home from their first-ever World Cup knockout stage appearance.

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It's free-kick art, simply put.

Bosnia-Herzegovina struggled to create significant chances throughout the match. Captain Edin Džeko, at 40 years old, became the first outfield player of that age or older to play in a World Cup knockout round, but he could not inspire his team to overcome the deficit. The match also saw a pre-game controversy involving an American reporter whose dismissive comments about Bosnia drew widespread criticism and an subsequent apology.

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USA deserves it. They've had the ball so much and shown glimpses and moments of quality. Folarin Balogun has been their star player.