Key takeaways from USMNT's Round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina

Pulisic struggled to make a difference...

There was a moment in the beginning of the first half where Christian Pulisic, man-marked midway into the Bosnian half, caught onto a loose ball, cut inside, charged past two defenders and set Balogun up with a pitch-perfect pass. Balogun shot the ball just wide of the net, but the move itself was the story, not the final product. It proved that the best and cleanest way through this Bosnian defense was a creative inside cut, not the endless looping crosses that the USMNT had spent much of the game trying.

Pulisic didn't seem too alert to the danger he presented to Bosnia and Herzegovina, though, because he hardly ever cut inside that way again. He was anonymous for much of this match—but it's worth pointing out that in the rare moments when he pulled himself together, he was a major offensive threat.

Balogun's 64th-minute red card means he won't be available for the USMNT's Round of 16 clash with Belgium. He's been the team's major creative engine thus far; Pulisic is going to have to pull himself together if he hopes to replace him on that front.

...but Malik Tillman stepped up in a big way

It's not a stretch to say that Bayer Leverkusen attacker Malik Tillman spent much of 2025 looking anonymous in a USMNT shirt. Trapped in a number ten playmaking role that didn't suit him, Tillman was often ineffective and rarely confident. It took a bold positioning change on the part of coach Mauricio Pochettino to turn Tillman's fortunes around.

Pochettino sank Tillman deeper into the midfield at the start of the USMNT's World Cup journey, and that change has made all the difference. Tillman can leverage his impressive physicality and intellectual build-up to play better from that spot, and his growing comfort on the field has translated into stellar performances across the board. He was the best player on the field in this match by far, and he would've been even if he hadn't scored that incredible, impossible free kick in the second half to knock Bosnia and Herzegovina sideways.

Matt Freese finally got a chance to prove his worth in goal

USMNT starting goalkeeper Matt Freese had a pretty easy run of things in the group stage. He made just two saves across his two games and never looked particularly troubled between the sticks.

ON Wednesday, though, down a man for half an hour with a rip-roaring opponent ahead of him, Freese finally got his World Cup challenge—and he rose to it with aplomb. His three saves in this game made the difference for the USMNT and kept the team in contention while it dealt with the consequences of Balogun's untimely red card.

The USMNT will return to World Cup action on Monday against Belgium in Seattle, Washington. A win in that match will see it advance to the tournament quarterfinals for the first time since 2002.