Goals from Folarin Balogun and Malik Tillman secured the US a 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina and with it a place in the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup.
The United States earned their first knockout-round victory since 2002, but it wasn't easy after Balogun, who scored in the 45th minute, was shown a red card just after the hour mark.
Matt Freese made three saves for his second clean sheet of the tournament to the delight of the roaring crowd.
Tillman then scored a superb free kick on 82 minutes to secure safe passage for Mauricio Pochettino's side.
The US will next play Belgium in Seattle on Monday. The Belgians pulled out a 3-2 win over Senegal after extra time earlier Wednesday.
Balogun gave the US a 1-0 halftime lead with a wicked spin and shot from the top of the box. He followed a formula that worked in the first match against Paraguay when he had an early goal reversed because of an offside call before putting one on the scoreboard that stuck.
This time, he was offside in the 31st minute, but he would not be denied 14 minutes later. It was his third goal of the tournament, but he will now serve a suspension.
Best photos of the 2026 World Cup - in pictures
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Malik Tillman of the USA scores their second goal against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Reuters -
Youri Tielemans of Belgium scores the team's second against Senegal in Seattle. AFP -
A fan dressed as the Statue of Liberty during the match between USA and Bosnia and Herzegovina. AFP -
England's Harry Kane scores against the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Atlanta. Reuters -
Mexico's players celebrate after winning the match against Ecuador in Mexico City. AFP -
France striker Kylian Mbappe celebrates with manager Didier Deschamps after scoring the first goal in the win over Sweden, in New Jersey. EPA -
Norway forward Erling Haaland challenges for the ball next to Ivory Coast midfielder Ibrahim Sangare in Arlington. AFP -
Paraguay's players celebrate after winning the penalty shoot-out against Germany in Foxborough. AFP -
Dutch defender Jan Paul Van Hecke, left, squares up to Morocco midfielder Ismael Saibari during their World Cup clash in Mexico. AFP -
Brazil fans cheer on the South American side from Rachid Karami International Fair in Tripoli, Lebanon. Getty Images -
Nicolas Seiwald of Austria, left, in action against Fares Chaibi of Algeria in Kansas City. EPA -
Canada goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau catches the ball above defender Derek Cornelius, wearing black, and South Africa's Mbekezeli Mbokazi at the Los Angeles Stadium. Canada won the last-32 clash 1-0, with a 92nd-minute strike. AFP -
England's Harry Kane, right, celebrates scoring the second goal of the team's 2-0 victory over Panama. PA -
Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring against Jordan to become the first person to score in seven consecutive World Cup games. AFP -
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo makes his way past Colombia's Santiago Arias, left, and Jhon Arias. The teams drew nil-all. AFP -
Algeria's Rafik Belghali celebrates scoring against Austria during their 3-3 draw. AFP -
Egypt's Mohamed Salah in action against Iran's Mehdi Taremi, in another match that ended in a draw. Reuters -
Senegal's Pape Gueye, left, and Iraq's Ibrahim Bayesh viefor the ball. Senegal won 5-0. AFP -
Spain's Pau Cubarsi (No 22) and Uruguay's Agustin Canobbio fight for the ball. Spain won 1-0. AFP
The US kept their defensive shape, pinning Bosnia and Herzegovina deep, resulting in a giveaway that led to the ball pinging off Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic.
Balogun ran onto the loose ball, stopped, turned to his left and fired in his third goal of the tournament.
A few minutes later in first-half stoppage time, Balogun pounded a shot off the crossbar from a pass by Sergino Dest.
The match took an ominous turn for the US in the 64th minute when Balogun was issued a straight card when challenging for a header, his right foot landed on Muharemovic's left ankle.
There was no foul called initially by referee Raphael Claus, but he reviewed the play and issued the red card.
Balogun became the first player to score and be red-carded in a World Cup knockout match since France's Zinedine Zidane was sent off in the 2006 final against Italy.
Tielemans keeps cool to send Belgium through
Belgium will extend their stay in the Pacific Northwest following the latest dramatic ending in the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup.
With five minutes of regulation time remaining, Senegal looked to have clinched a place in the last 16. They led through goals from Habib Diarra and Ismailia Sarr but Belgium rallied through Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans to send the game into extra time.
With neither side able to find a third goal, the game looked to be heading for a shoot-out, until Tielemans was bundled over in the box.
Following a lengthy VAR review, Belgium were awarded a penalty. Lukaku initially grabbed the ball to take the spot kick but handed it over to Belgium captain Tielemans, who kept his shot low to score in the 125th minute.
It was the latest goal in World Cup history.
"Now we must recuperate, recuperate, recuperate, because it is hard on the legs," Belgium coach Rudi Garcia said. "In extra time it's like two boxers, we kept fighting and fighting.
"I believe in the quality of this side," Garcia said. "It's not the best of all time, but tonight we wrote history."
Garcia, who called Senegal the best African team in the tournament, said the penalty call was "justified." Senegal coach Pape Thiaw was also asked multiple times for his opinion, but declined to offer one.
"Some people said there should not be [a foul given]," Thiaw said. "I do not want to interpret the referee's decision. There's always room for interpretation. I'd rather not comment on him. I'd rather not comment at all."
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