Key events<\/p>\n
\u201cThe USA<\/a> 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\u2019m 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\u2019t think there are any pundits out there composing screeds against Canadians for daring to prefer ice hockey over soccer- and there shouldn\u2019t be.\u201d \u2013 Jeffrey Lilly<\/p>\n I\u2019m a proud member of a curling club.<\/p>\n \u201cI think USA have enjoyed a somewhat easier pathway to the Last-16 so far. Belgium maybe the toughest team they\u2019ll 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.\u201d \u2013 Farhan<\/p>\n \u201cCould 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<\/a> knockout match?\u201d \u2013 Peter Oh <\/p>\n Someone should check that.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat 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.\u201d \u2013 Alexander Whitney<\/p>\n \u201cGee I thought that was a really well placed kick relative to goalkeeper starting position, which is how you line it up.\u201d \u2013 G<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re a bass player, right? Does Tim Ream remind you a little of Substance or Technique-era Peter Hook?\u201d \u2013 Peter Oh<\/p>\n Now that you mention it \u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Christian Pulisic: We had to dig deep for that one. The red card, it\u2019s unfortunate.<\/p>\n We said in the hydration break \u2013 this is what it takes to be a good team.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThat 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, \u2018Beckham-esque\u2019? Nope.\u201d \u2013 Stephen Holliday<\/p>\n I think the Greek keeper<\/a> did worse.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you think that\u2019s the worst the US has played, you\u2019ve never watched them play.\u201d \u2013 Kentaro Morrison, citing Trinidad 2017 <\/p>\n I \u2026 did I say that? I\u2019d say \u201cugly\u201d more than I\u2019d say \u201cbad.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cHi Beau – what\u2019s the likelihood this red card gets overturned after the match? Any chance at all, for referee error of the like? Thanks for any clarification!!\u201d \u2013 David Litvak<\/p>\n Top of my head \u2013 I think it\u2019s zero. It was a judgment call, not an obvious error.<\/p>\n \u201cThe rest of the world assumed when you tread on a player\u2019s calf is red. Americans don\u2019t think so and assume he didn\u2019t know what he was doing. That\u2019s why they are professionals, so he had to go.\u201d \u2013 Howard Fishman<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Jason Smith notes that officiating shenanigans aren\u2019t helping as football is still trying to grow in the USA<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cVAR 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.\u201d \u2013 Rick McGahey<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.18 EDT<\/p>\n OK, let\u2019s hit the mail, and I\u2019ll probably need to skip some of the ones that came in earlier.<\/p>\n Wait \u2026 I have to note that they\u2019re now playing Elvis. I Can\u2019t 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\u2019t really been in it. The prices self-selected this crowd. But still \u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n McKennie is now conducting the crowd. He has played a lot in Italy, so he may have gleaned something about the art of conducting.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Pochettino is eager to demonstrate that he knows the words to Take Me Home Country Roads. He pumps his fist as he sings.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The teams sportingly embrace \u2013 several of them know each other from club soccer, of course \u2013 but Kola\u0161inac is yelling at a disinterested US player.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>FINAL: USA 2-0 Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/p>\n The question on this \u201cgolden generation\u201d of US players has never been about skill. It\u2019s been about finding a way to win the tough games, the rough games, where things aren\u2019t going your way. Where they have to dig deeper than they ever have before.<\/p>\n They just answered that question. It\u2019s one of the uglier US performances in a World Cup<\/a>, but one that US fans will cherish forever.<\/p>\n Chris Richards celebrates at full-time as USA progress to face Belgium in Seattle. Photograph: Benjamin Fanjoy\/EPAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.13 EDT<\/p>\n 90 min +10 And that\u2019s the last time update I\u2019m giving.<\/p>\n Ream holds his ground as Demirovi\u0107 bangs into him. Free kick USA<\/a>. Freese comes up to take it.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min +9 SHOT FOR BIH. Again, it\u2019s Mahmi\u0107, who races through the defense and fires wide of the other post.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min +8 SHOT FOR BIH and Matt Freese is very lucky Mahmi\u0107 imparted some spin on it, or that would\u2019ve been inside the far post. It goes out, and Freese comes up holding his shoulder.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min +8 BIH possess. Dedi\u0107 is on the right now, but Ream stops him cold.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min +7 Berhalter rescues Richards, who was beaten by Dedi\u0107.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min +6 Pepi with a half-chance! And Freeman sends a shot over.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n USA could really use another defender here.<\/p>\n They bring on Gio Reyna for Weston McKennie.<\/p>\n Mr. Pochettino, your ways are very strange. (That, or the Turkey game eroded whatever faith he had in the reserves.)<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min +4 Robinson with the defensive header, and Tillman brilliantly flings the ball back to Adams to spring the USA<\/a>.<\/p>\n Tillman ends up right on the sideline and draws a foul.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min +3 USA possess. BIH pressing but can\u2019t get it. Finally, the ball is played to McKennie, who is dispossessed. He fouls, then kicks the ball away \u2013 which is supposed to be an automatic yellow but we are in the upside-down now.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min +2 Alajbegovi\u0107 is carving up the US defense. He fires a shot wide \u2013 maybe deflected? Not seen that way, so it\u2019s a goal kick.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min +2 BIH possess. Into the area \u2013 Richards heads clear. How vital has the Crystal Palace man been?<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min +1 BIH possess. They\u2019re having success on the left against Freeman.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Ten minutes of stoppage time??? TEN??!!!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min CHANCE FOR BIH! It\u2019s a cross through the goal mouth, and Freese doesn\u2019t get it! He gets crossed up with a teammate. Shot comes in, and Richards blocks.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 89 min BIH bring it forward. USA<\/a> again give a lot of space.<\/p>\n Cross. Headed out by Ream. BIH still possess.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 88 min Note that Pochettino didn\u2019t bring in a replacement or additional defender.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n SUBS: Sebastian Berhalter and Ricardo Pepi in.<\/p>\n Dest is out, as is Pulisic, who applauds the crowd as they give him an ovation.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 86 min USA giving BIH a lot of space. Alex Freeman plays the ball off his chest, and it almost goes in! Freese collects.<\/p>\n Tahirovic runs by Freese and puts a hand on his back for some reason. Freese milks it.<\/p>\n Now we\u2019re subbing on a goalkeeper punt?<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 86 min It\u2019s a slow buildup from BIH. Tillman intercepts.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 85 min Dest, Freeman and McKennie combine to play some defense.<\/p>\n How has Mauricio Pochettino not made any subs????<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 84 min How has Mauricio Pochettino not made any subs???<\/p>\n Freese snares a high cross. USA<\/a> try to break quickly.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n He took forever to take that shot \u2013 some would say wasting time, but he may only have been mentally prepping himself.<\/p>\n We mentioned Bend It Like Beckham before? That was Beckham-esque. He got it up and down in 20 yards.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Goal! USA 2-0 BIH (Tillman 82)<\/p>\n A majestic free kick! It bypasses the wall, and Vasilj is all the way on the other side of the goal.<\/p>\n Oh, that\u2019s magical from Malik Tillman! Photograph: Benjamin Fanjoy\/EPA Photograph: Carlos Barr\u00eda\/Reuters Photograph: Carlos Barr\u00eda\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a021.55 EDT<\/p>\n 81 min One of the lightest holds we\u2019ve seen today on Dest, but the referee decides that\u2019s a free kick to the USA<\/a> and a yellow to Radelji\u0107. Free kick from about 20 yards \u2013 not an ideal spot, really.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 79 min Sergej Barbarez, who had a good run in Vegas as a poker player<\/a>, is so furious that he has picked up the ball. He sees yellow \u2013 and he wastes his own team\u2019s time.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>No goal?<\/p>\n Tillman with a backheel, McKennie in the buildup, Pulisic races ahead to put it in the net but he was a yard offside.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 78 min It looked like a player made contact with Pulisic\u2019s heel. Are we sure that\u2019s not a red card? (Note sarcasm.)<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 77 min Pulisic falls at midfield and draws a foul. He\u2019s staying down.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 77 min Freeman blocks a shot at the top of the box.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n This is interesting: BIH will have used all five subs before the USA<\/a> use one.<\/p>\n Kati\u0107 and Kola\u0161inac out. Tabakovi\u0107 and Memi\u0107 out.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 75 min Pulisic does a loop-de-loop through the BIH defense but ends up playing it over the line when bumped.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 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\u2019s near Freese.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 73 min Corner kick to BIH, and these are going to be very dangerous.<\/p>\n