In a dramatic, high-tempo clash in the San Francisco Bay Area on Wednesday, a 10-man United States team secured a 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, advancing to the next round of the World Cup and ending a 24-year wait for a knockout-stage win.

Folarin Balogun opened the scoring near halftime but was sent off after the break. Malik Tillman doubled the lead eight minutes from time with a sumptuous free kick, sealing the historic win.

The physical encounter saw luck not always favor the hosts, with goals from Balogun and Christian Pulisic ruled out, and Balogun dismissed for a serious foul on Tarik Muharemovic that appeared accidental.

The Americans burst out of the gates with a barrage of attacks on the Bosnian goal, spurred on by chants of “U-S-A” from a partisan crowd. The team delivered with speed and intensity: Pulisic, back in the lineup, was determined to make his mark; Balogun was a constant threat; and Weston McKennie and Tillman showed excellent form.

The victory ended USA's run of 10 consecutive defeats against European opposition and set up a last-16 tie in Seattle against Belgium, who rallied from two goals down to beat Senegal 3-2 after extra time.

Source: www.aljazeera.com