The United States beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 to book its place in the round of 16 at the World Cup, a result that sends the Americans into the knockout stage for the first time since 2002. For a team playing on home soil, it was a milestone win that set off celebrations among fans following the tournament.
The victory carried extra weight because of how long the wait had been. Advancing out of the group stage and into the round of 16 marked the furthest the US men had gone at a World Cup in more than two decades, ending a drought that stretched back to the 2002 tournament.
Striker Folarin Balogun was among those on the scoresheet, netting one of the two goals that carried the United States past Bosnia. His finish helped put the result beyond doubt and underlined his role as one of the team's key attacking threats.
The day was not without a setback, however. Balogun was shown a red card in the 64th minute for a tackle that officials deemed worthy of a sending-off, a decision the United States is not able to appeal. As a result, one of the team's best players will be suspended for the next match.
That next assignment will be a tough one. The United States will face Belgium in the round of 16, after the Belgians advanced with a stunning late comeback against Senegal, sealing a 3-2 win on a penalty kick deep into extra time in the 125th minute.
The matchup carries history between the two sides. The US and Belgium last met at the World Cup in 2014, when American goalkeeper Tim Howard set a tournament record with 16 saves in a round-of-16 game that Belgium ultimately won. The two nations also met at the very first World Cup back in 1930.
With the tournament being played across North America, the run has given the United States a rare deep push on home turf. The Americans will now try to get past Belgium and into the quarter-finals, though they will have to do it without Balogun after his dismissal against Bosnia.