World Cup Sports Desk — Host nation United States booked their spot in the World Cup Round of 16 on Thursday after a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Despite playing the final half-hour with ten men, the Americans showcased immense resilience to secure a crucial knockout-stage berth.

Forward Folarin Balogun and midfielder Malik Tillman were the heroes for the hosts, scoring in either half to delight the home crowd in a fiercely contested match.

The breakthrough came at the stroke of halftime. In the 45th minute, Malik Tillman orchestrated the play, attempting a pass to find Balogun.

Although the ball deflected off two Bosnian defenders, it fell kindly back into the path of the sharp-witted American forward.

Balogun made no mistake in the one-on-one situation, calmly slotting the ball past Bosnian goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj to give the US a 1-0 advantage heading into the break.

The second half took a dramatic turn in the 64th minute when goal-scorer Balogun went from hero to zero. During a tense battle for possession, the forward accidentally caught Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemović on the ankle with his studs.

Following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review, the referee was advised to check the pitchside monitor.

After reviewing the replays, the referee upheld the foul and issued a straight red card to Balogun, forcing the hosts to defend their slim lead with 10 men.

Rather than crumbling under pressure, the disciplined US side dug deep and put the game to bed in the 82nd minute. After Sergiño Dest was brought down just on the edge of the box by Stjepan Radeljić, the Americans were awarded a promising free-kick.

Tillman stepped up to take the set-piece and executed it to perfection. He curled a precise, brilliant shot over the defensive wall and well beyond the reach of the diving goalkeeper to double the lead.

While Bosnia and Herzegovina matched the hosts in overall play and ball possession, their inability to find the back of the net ultimately cost them their tournament life, confirming their exit from the World Cup.