Pochettino praises USA after hard-fought 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mauricio Pochettino left Santa Clara with a result that matched the stakes he had set for it. The United States beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on 1 July 2026, survived the second half with 10 men after Folarin Balogun was sent off, and still booked its place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 16.

Balogun had given the hosts the lead in the 45th minute, finishing the first half with the sort of timing Pochettino had demanded from a side under pressure. Malik Tillman doubled the advantage in the 82nd minute, a strike that settled a tense finish and drew praise from the coach, who said the victory was deserved despite the difficulties. Pochettino also singled out Tillman, describing him as one of the team’s best players and highlighting the quality of the goal.

The match carried the urgency Pochettino had attached to it before kickoff, when he called the Bosnia and Herzegovina game “a final.” That framing fit the path the United States had taken into the knockout round after winning Group D ahead of Paraguay, Australia and Türkiye. Once Balogun’s red card forced the Americans into a defensive posture, the response became the real measure of the night: a team already ahead, suddenly short-handed, still holding shape long enough to finish the job.

That ability to absorb a setback without losing control may be becoming one of Pochettino’s most useful traits with this squad. The United States did not just advance; it did so by managing the emotional swing of the match, from Balogun’s first-half opener to the second-half dismissal and Tillman’s late insurance goal. Belgium now waits on 6 July in Seattle, where the Americans will again need the same mix of discipline and conviction that carried them past Bosnia and Herzegovina.