{"id":854,"date":"2026-07-02T13:44:25","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T13:44:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/modernhomejournals.com\/?p=854"},"modified":"2026-07-02T13:44:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T13:44:25","slug":"in-a-gutsy-world-cup-win-the-usmnt-refused-to-retreat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/modernhomejournals.com\/?p=854","title":{"rendered":"In a Gutsy World Cup Win, the USMNT Refused to Retreat"},"content":{"rendered":"
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As Folarin Balogun, the luminescent United States striker, skulked off the field in the 64th minute of Wednesday\u2019s round of 32 match in the World Cup \u2014 the recipient of a red card of debatable validity \u2014 the full enormity of the Americans\u2019 perilous position crashed down all at once on Balogun\u2019s teammates, a sellout crowd at Levi\u2019s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, and the millions watching on television.<\/p>\n

Read more White House Proposes Cutting Hospital Payments for Scans<\/a><\/p>\n

The Americans\u2019 one-goal lead over Bosnia-Herzegovina, courtesy of Balogun\u2019s own brilliance, already felt impossibly thin. Now it looked translucent. Already tasked with lugging around the program\u2019s awful history of World Cup failures<\/u><\/span>, now the beleaguered Americans had to protect that precious lead while playing the rest of the game with 10 players. The gloom-and-doom types among the team\u2019s fan base \u2014 which is to say, all of them \u2014 no longer had to wonder how this one would unravel.<\/p>\n

But instead of unraveling, the Americans surged. Instead of retreating into a defensive posture, they kept attacking. Instead of squandering their lead, they doubled it \u2014 on Malik Tillman\u2019s arcing free kick from just outside the penalty area in the 82nd minute.<\/p>\n

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MALIK TILLMAN FREE KICK GOLAZO AND THE @USMNT IS UP 2-0 \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8<\/p>\n

Advantage doubled even down to 10 men. pic.twitter.com\/HskiCro7xD<\/p>\n

\u2014 FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 2, 2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

And instead of suffering another monumental loss on soccer\u2019s biggest stage, they delivered a stunning 2-0 victory that sends them into a round of 16 meeting with Belgium on Monday night \u2014 a match they will have to navigate without the services of Balogun, thanks to Wednesday night\u2019s fateful red card.<\/p>\n

But before anyone moves on to the Belgium game, it is worth taking a moment to appreciate what the USMNT accomplished Wednesday night:<\/p>\n