Belgium secures dramatic win against Senegal; USA to face Bosnia and Herzegovina next

By Karan Malhotra — 2 July 2026 — 3 min read

Dramatic Knockout Stage Openers

The World Cup knockout stage has already delivered thrilling encounters in its initial days. One such match saw England face DR Congo. Brian Cipenga of DR Congo scored early, putting England behind. However, Harry Kane equalised in the 75th minute with a header and then secured the win for his team with a twisting strike in the 86th minute.

In another afternoon fixture, Belgium staged a remarkable comeback against Senegal. Senegal had a strong start, scoring two goals within the first 51 minutes. Belgium, known as the Red Devils, rallied late in the game with contributions from Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans, pushing the match into extra time. A controversial penalty was awarded to Belgium in the final moments, which Tielemans converted, leading to a 3-2 victory.

This victory means Belgium has secured its spot in the Round of 16. The winner of the upcoming match between the USA and Bosnia and Herzegovina will proceed to face Belgium in Seattle on Monday.

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. The current match, however, carries significant weight.

The betting public appears to be strongly backing the USMNT to win against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Reports from multiple sportsbooks indicate that over 85% of wagers and 90% of total money wagered on the three-way line are for the U.S. to win. The U.S. is also a significant favourite to advance.

The USMNT is aiming for its first knockout round win since 2002. The 2026 World Cup has expanded the knockout rounds from 16 to 32 teams, offering more opportunities for teams to progress.

Mauricio Pochettino, the coach for the USMNT, has downplayed the team’s role as favourites for the match. He noted the difficulties other teams have faced in the knockout stage, citing Paraguay‘s upset against Germany and Morocco‘s victory over France.

The USMNT‘s starting lineup for the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina includes Freese, Freeman, Richards, Ream, Dest, McKennie, Adams, Tillman, Robinson, Balogun, and Pulisic. This is the same starting eleven that played in their opening win against Paraguay.

For Bosnia and Herzegovina, the starting lineup features Vasilj, Dedić, Radeljić, Katić, Muharemović, Kolašinac, Gigiović, Šunjić, Alajbegović, Demirović, and Džeko.

Challenges and Expectations for the USMNT

The U.S. men’s national team faces a historical challenge against European opponents. Since returning to the World Cup stage in 1990, the U.S. has played European teams 21 times in the tournament, securing only one victory, a 3-2 win against Portugal in 2002, alongside seven draws.

The team’s current losing streak against European opponents began with a 3-1 defeat to the Netherlands in the 2022 World Cup Round of 16. Since then, the U.S. has experienced further setbacks in friendly matches against teams like Serbia and Slovenia, and significant losses to Switzerland and Belgium.

Despite these past results, the U.S. has shown strong offensive performance in the current tournament, accumulating more goals than in any previous edition of the World Cup. They also topped their group for only the second time since 1930.

The USMNT has scored six first-half goals in the group stage, a tally matched only by Brazil. Christian Pulisic, who appeared healthy as a second-half substitute against Türkiye, is expected to return to the starting lineup, which could further boost the team’s performance.

The match against Bosnia and Herzegovina is anticipated to be a tactical battle, with Bosnia and Herzegovina expected to defend deep, while the USMNT will aim to break through their defensive block. Kickoff for the match is approximately 10 minutes away.

The winner of this match will advance to face Belgium in the Round of 16 on Monday in Seattle.