Balogun says calm USMNT ready for Bosnia and Herzegovina clash

Folarin Balogun said the United States had reached “crunch time” as it prepared to meet Bosnia and Herzegovina in a World Cup round-of-32 match at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, with a place in the round of 16 at stake. The striker, who has scored two goals in the tournament, described the atmosphere around Mauricio Pochettino’s squad as “more serious” and said the big players had to step forward.

Balogun has become the clearest symbol of what the U.S. attack needs now, not just production but precision. He leads the team with two goals at the 2026 World Cup, and his two-goal performance in a 4-1 win over Paraguay made him the first U.S. men’s player to score twice in a World Cup match since 1930. Christian Pulisic praised him after that victory, calling him “lucky to have him” and pointing to Balogun’s pressing and play with his back to goal, two traits that matter more once knockout soccer strips away the margin for waste.

The U.S. reached the round of 32 after finishing first in Group D, beating Paraguay 4-1 and Australia 2-0 before falling 3-2 to Türkiye in its final group match. That run gave Pochettino’s side control of the bracket, but it also left the Americans chasing a cleaner, more clinical standard than the one that can sometimes survive in group play. The U.S. has not won a World Cup knockout match since 2002, when it beat Mexico before losing to Germany in the quarterfinals.

Bosnia and Herzegovina brought its own pressure to the match, entering it for the first knockout-stage game in the country’s history in a major tournament. Brazilian referee Raphael Claus was assigned to handle the game. A FIFA referee since 2015, Claus also worked matches at the 2022 World Cup.

Balogun’s path gave the match an added layer of meaning. Born in Brooklyn and raised in London, he switched his FIFA allegiance to the United States in 2023, and his scoring touch has already justified the decision. Pochettino’s message that relaxation can sharpen concentration fit the same point Balogun was making: in knockout rounds, composure is not passive. It is the standard that decides who advances.