Fresno fans celebrate United States’ first World Cup knockout win since 2002
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- The United States defeated Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0 to reach the World Cup quarterfinals.
- Malik Tillman scored the free-kick after Folarin Balogun received a red card.
- The win was the United States’ first World Cup knockout-stage victory since 2002.
When Folarin Balogun received a red card in the second half, Fresno resident Dario Lugo remained confident the United States would hang on.
They did, adding an insurance goal for good measure.
The U.S. defeated Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0 at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium (Levi’s Stadium) in Santa Clara on Wednesday, advancing to the World Cup quarterfinals.
The victory brought a sigh of relief for Lugo and the rest of the U.S. faithful, especially after USMNT were reduced to 10 men following Balogun’s dismissal in the 64th minute.
“They started getting more aggressive playing defense,” Lugo said. “But at that free kick ... I don’t know, I thought they were going to do something special right there, and they did.”
Malik Tillman’s goal on the ensuing free kick sealed the victory and sent the United States into a matchup against Belgium, setting up a rematch of the USMNT 2-1 extra-time loss in the Round of 16 at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
The win also marked the United States’ first World Cup knockout-stage victory since 2002.
Many fans gathered at Fresno Indoor Soccer to watch the match, with music and food vendors helping create a festive atmosphere outside the venue.
Inside, the focus remained on the game, and those in attendance believed the U.S. could hold on despite playing the final stretch with 10 men.
Carlos Enriquez of Fresno was among those believers.
“It’s a fairy tale,” he said. “We’ve got to go on to the next round and take care of business to get to the Round of 8.”
This story was originally published July 1, 2026 at 8:35 PM.
