Key events
“The USA is a big country. We have lots of sports that we love, many domestically grown. We love basketball, baseball, gridiron football, lacrosse, ice hockey, soccer, golf, tennis… and many, many, many others. Some people think a Pulisic is an appliance? Oh well. I’m not going to get mad if people think a Skubal is an auto part or a Mahomes is a furniture brand. We all like what we like. Talking to others and learning from them is supposed to be fun. I don’t think there are any pundits out there composing screeds against Canadians for daring to prefer ice hockey over soccer- and there shouldn’t be.” – Jeffrey Lilly
I’m a proud member of a curling club.
“I think USA have enjoyed a somewhat easier pathway to the Last-16 so far. Belgium maybe the toughest team they’ll face in the world cup so far. The Belgians did not necessarily deserve to win against Senegal which makes me think USA could possibly edge it. The quarter final which could feature Spain/Croatia/Portugal may be beyond them however. That is unless the Swiss cause a major upset tomorrow.” – Farhan
“Could this be the first time since Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 final that a player has both scored and been sent off in a World Cup knockout match?” – Peter Oh
Someone should check that.
“What a solid performance overall, and particularly impressive after going down a man. But our attack will likely be seriously blunted without having Balogun available against Belgium.” – Alexander Whitney
“Gee I thought that was a really well placed kick relative to goalkeeper starting position, which is how you line it up.” – G
“You’re a bass player, right? Does Tim Ream remind you a little of Substance or Technique-era Peter Hook?” – Peter Oh
Now that you mention it …
Christian Pulisic: We had to dig deep for that one. The red card, it’s unfortunate.
We said in the hydration break – this is what it takes to be a good team.
“That was a free kick that should have been saved easily. There was no pace on it. No foot movement from the keeper and he still got there and just palmed it into the net. They all count, but, ‘Beckham-esque’? Nope.” – Stephen Holliday
I think the Greek keeper did worse.
“If you think that’s the worst the US has played, you’ve never watched them play.” – Kentaro Morrison, citing Trinidad 2017
I … did I say that? I’d say “ugly” more than I’d say “bad.”
“Hi Beau – what’s the likelihood this red card gets overturned after the match? Any chance at all, for referee error of the like? Thanks for any clarification!!” – David Litvak
Top of my head – I think it’s zero. It was a judgment call, not an obvious error.
“The rest of the world assumed when you tread on a player’s calf is red. Americans don’t think so and assume he didn’t know what he was doing. That’s why they are professionals, so he had to go.” – Howard Fishman
Not how it looked to a lot of people (not all of them American), and the rest of the Cup has been officiated a bit less strictly.
Jason Smith notes that officiating shenanigans aren’t helping as football is still trying to grow in the USA.
“VAR is out of control maybe a yellow at best. Balogun watching ball entire time, slips, bad foul but not a clear and obvious error by any measure.” – Rick McGahey
Updated at 22.18 EDT
OK, let’s hit the mail, and I’ll probably need to skip some of the ones that came in earlier.
Wait … I have to note that they’re now playing Elvis. I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You. And the US supporters have fallen in love with Pochettino. (Bearing in mind, as one email noted, the supporters groups haven’t really been in it. The prices self-selected this crowd. But still …
Yes, I see the emails. But these are incredible scenes. Pochettino is still yelling Take Me Home Country Roads. He has embraced the US fans, and vice versa.
McKennie is now conducting the crowd. He has played a lot in Italy, so he may have gleaned something about the art of conducting.
Pochettino is eager to demonstrate that he knows the words to Take Me Home Country Roads. He pumps his fist as he sings.
The teams sportingly embrace – several of them know each other from club soccer, of course – but Kolašinac is yelling at a disinterested US player.
ShareFINAL: USA 2-0 Bosnia and Herzegovina
The question on this “golden generation” of US players has never been about skill. It’s been about finding a way to win the tough games, the rough games, where things aren’t going your way. Where they have to dig deeper than they ever have before.
They just answered that question. It’s one of the uglier US performances in a World Cup, but one that US fans will cherish forever.
Chris Richards celebrates at full-time as USA progress to face Belgium in Seattle. Photograph: Benjamin Fanjoy/EPAShare
Updated at 22.13 EDT
90 min +10 And that’s the last time update I’m giving.
Ream holds his ground as Demirović bangs into him. Free kick USA. Freese comes up to take it.
90 min +9 SHOT FOR BIH. Again, it’s Mahmić, who races through the defense and fires wide of the other post.
90 min +8 SHOT FOR BIH and Matt Freese is very lucky Mahmić imparted some spin on it, or that would’ve been inside the far post. It goes out, and Freese comes up holding his shoulder.
90 min +8 BIH possess. Dedić is on the right now, but Ream stops him cold.
90 min +7 USA blast it up the field for Pepi, and Vasilj has to race out of his goal to knock the ball into the stands.
90 min +7 Berhalter rescues Richards, who was beaten by Dedić.
90 min +6 Pepi with a half-chance! And Freeman sends a shot over.
USA could really use another defender here.
They bring on Gio Reyna for Weston McKennie.
Mr. Pochettino, your ways are very strange. (That, or the Turkey game eroded whatever faith he had in the reserves.)
90 min +4 Robinson with the defensive header, and Tillman brilliantly flings the ball back to Adams to spring the USA.
Tillman ends up right on the sideline and draws a foul.
90 min +3 USA possess. BIH pressing but can’t get it. Finally, the ball is played to McKennie, who is dispossessed. He fouls, then kicks the ball away – which is supposed to be an automatic yellow but we are in the upside-down now.
90 min +2 Alajbegović is carving up the US defense. He fires a shot wide – maybe deflected? Not seen that way, so it’s a goal kick.
90 min +2 BIH possess. Into the area – Richards heads clear. How vital has the Crystal Palace man been?
90 min +1 BIH possess. They’re having success on the left against Freeman.
Ten minutes of stoppage time??? TEN??!!!
90 min CHANCE FOR BIH! It’s a cross through the goal mouth, and Freese doesn’t get it! He gets crossed up with a teammate. Shot comes in, and Richards blocks.
89 min BIH bring it forward. USA again give a lot of space.
Cross. Headed out by Ream. BIH still possess.
88 min Note that Pochettino didn’t bring in a replacement or additional defender.
SUBS: Sebastian Berhalter and Ricardo Pepi in.
Dest is out, as is Pulisic, who applauds the crowd as they give him an ovation.
86 min USA giving BIH a lot of space. Alex Freeman plays the ball off his chest, and it almost goes in! Freese collects.
Tahirovic runs by Freese and puts a hand on his back for some reason. Freese milks it.
Now we’re subbing on a goalkeeper punt?
86 min It’s a slow buildup from BIH. Tillman intercepts.
85 min Dest, Freeman and McKennie combine to play some defense.
How has Mauricio Pochettino not made any subs????
84 min How has Mauricio Pochettino not made any subs???
Freese snares a high cross. USA try to break quickly.
He took forever to take that shot – some would say wasting time, but he may only have been mentally prepping himself.
We mentioned Bend It Like Beckham before? That was Beckham-esque. He got it up and down in 20 yards.
ShareGoal! USA 2-0 BIH (Tillman 82)
A majestic free kick! It bypasses the wall, and Vasilj is all the way on the other side of the goal.
Oh, that’s magical from Malik Tillman! Photograph: Benjamin Fanjoy/EPA Photograph: Carlos Barría/Reuters Photograph: Carlos Barría/ReutersShare
Updated at 21.55 EDT
81 min One of the lightest holds we’ve seen today on Dest, but the referee decides that’s a free kick to the USA and a yellow to Radeljić. Free kick from about 20 yards – not an ideal spot, really.
79 min Sergej Barbarez, who had a good run in Vegas as a poker player, is so furious that he has picked up the ball. He sees yellow – and he wastes his own team’s time.
ShareNo goal?
Tillman with a backheel, McKennie in the buildup, Pulisic races ahead to put it in the net but he was a yard offside.
78 min It looked like a player made contact with Pulisic’s heel. Are we sure that’s not a red card? (Note sarcasm.)
77 min Pulisic falls at midfield and draws a foul. He’s staying down.
77 min Freeman blocks a shot at the top of the box.
This is interesting: BIH will have used all five subs before the USA use one.
Katić and Kolašinac out. Tabaković and Memić out.
75 min Pulisic does a loop-de-loop through the BIH defense but ends up playing it over the line when bumped.
74 min The BIH corner is taken short, a bit surprising. They work it around and try to set up a shot. Ball eventually played high, but no one’s near Freese.
73 min Corner kick to BIH, and these are going to be very dangerous.