The United States men’s national soccer team pulled off a 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1 in the round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, held at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

Folarin Balogun opened the scoring late in the first half, notching his third goal of the tournament. Then things got weird.

The red card heard round the world

In the 64th minute, Balogun received a straight red card following a VAR-reviewed challenge on Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic. Referee Raphael Claus deemed the tackle “serious foul play,” reducing the US to 10 men in a knockout match. Balogun became the first player to both score and receive a red card in a single World Cup match.

The decision has become one of the most debated moments of the tournament, with pundits and fans pointing to what they see as glaring inconsistency in VAR application. A similar challenge by Lionel Messi in Argentina’s opener reportedly went unpunished, and the comparison has fueled outrage across social media and sports commentary circles alike.

Under FIFA regulations, there is no provision for appeal when a decision has already undergone VAR scrutiny. The USMNT has no recourse, and Balogun will miss the round of 16 match against Belgium.

Despite being down a man for the final 26 minutes plus stoppage time, the US held firm. Malik Tillman sealed the result with a late free-kick goal.

A milestone two decades in the making

This victory marks the USMNT’s first knockout-stage win at a World Cup since 2002, when the team stunned Mexico in the round of 16 in South Korea. That’s 24 years of waiting, a stretch that included missing the 2018 tournament entirely.

The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada, was always expected to be different. The expanded 48-team format introduced a round of 32 for the first time, and the Americans have now navigated it successfully.