Belgium secures dramatic World Cup Round of 32 victory; USA vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina up next

By Arjun Nair / 02.07.2026

By Arjun Nair — 2 July 2026 — 3 min read

Belgium’s dramatic comeback

The World Cup knockout stage has already delivered intense matches in its initial days. In one afternoon fixture, Belgium staged a remarkable comeback against Senegal. After falling behind by two goals within the first 51 minutes, the Red Devils rallied. Goals from Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans pushed the game into extra time. A penalty kick, awarded to Belgium in the final moments of the match, was converted by Tielemans, securing a 3-2 victory for Belgium.

This dramatic win means Belgium has advanced to the Round of 16. The winner of the upcoming match between the USA and Bosnia and Herzegovina will face Belgium in the next stage of the tournament.

USA prepares for Bosnia and Herzegovina clash

The U.S. men’s national team is set to play Bosnia and Herzegovina in their Round of 32 match. The Americans concluded their group stage with a loss to Türkiye, a match that did not impact their group standing. Now, the stakes are higher as they enter the knockout rounds.

There is anticipation for the USA to potentially score an early goal, a pattern observed in their group stage games. The USA has played 13 consecutive matches against teams participating in the 2026 World Cup, scoring a first-half goal in ten of those encounters. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s offensive output in the tournament has been limited, generating a total of 13 shots and 0.5 expected goals from open play.

Mauricio Pochettino, the USA coach, has downplayed the team’s role as a clear favorite for the upcoming match. He noted the difficulties other teams have faced in the knockout stage, citing instances like Paraguay defeating Germany, Morocco beating the Netherlands, and Japan challenging Brazil. Pochettino emphasised caution, stating, “We need to be careful when we say, ‘OK, one is favorite and the other one, no.'”

The USA has a challenging history against European opponents in the World Cup. Since their return to the World Cup stage in 1990, the Americans have faced European teams 21 times, recording seven draws and only one victory, which was a 3-2 win against Portugal in 2002. Their current losing streak against European teams began with a 3-1 defeat to the Netherlands in the 2022 World Cup Round of 16.

The USA’s match against Bosnia and Herzegovina is expected to be a significant event, with an audience of approximately 25 million watching at home and at large gatherings. The team aims to continue elevating the sport in the country after an engaging two weeks of play.

England’s progression

In another Round of 32 fixture, England secured a victory against DR Congo. DR Congo’s Brian Cipenga scored an early goal, putting England under pressure. However, the Three Lions fought back, with Harry Kane scoring an equalizer in the 75th minute with a header. Kane then secured the win for England with a twisting strike in the 86th minute.

The World Cup continues to feature exciting matches as teams vie for a spot in the later stages of the tournament. The upcoming USA versus Bosnia and Herzegovina match will determine which team advances to face Belgium.

Source: sports.yahoo.com