USA v Bosnia and Herzegovina: World Cup 2026 last 32 – live
double quotation mark Bajraktarević started against Canada and Qatar and came off the bench against the Swiss, logging 214 minutes (including stoppage time) and operating
double quotation mark Bajraktarević started against Canada and Qatar and came off the bench against the Swiss, logging 214 minutes (including stoppage time) and operating as a recipient for progressive passes. Only Ivan Bašić has played more passes into the box than Bajraktarević’s five for Bosnia and Herzegovina, per Futi, while his 70 attacking-third touches trail his opposite winger, Kerim Alajbegović. And he has had an impact in this Cup. Jeff notes That sort of fearlessness in the big moment, coupled with experience scuppering a 2026 World Cup co-host’s home-field advantage, makes Bajraktarević and his team a compelling first knockout adversary. for the US. double quotation mark He didn’t miss, slotting his attempt just underneath Donnarumma’s gloves as the keeper dove to his left. Bajraktarević peeled off to the corner flag and held his Bosnia aloft for the home supporters to admire: Zmajevi were back in the World Cup at Italy’s expense. At age 40, Džeko is still on the team. At age 21, so is Bajraktarević, who converted the winning shot in the penalty shootout that sent his country to the World Cup ahead of Italy. But Bajraktarević was the child of Bosnian refugees.
One of his heroes was Edin Džeko, the Sarajevo-born player who distinguished himself at Manchester City, Wolfsburg and Roma. For many years, Wisconsin-born Esmir Bajraktarević was part of the US soccer pipeline. He played for youth national teams. He worked his way up through the youth ranks at the New England Revolution and overlapped just slightly with US goalkeeper Matt Turner. Welcome to one of the biggest games in US men’s history. Such sentiments are often overstated. But this game will have one of two possible outcomes... 1. A third win in the same World Cup for the first time in US men’s history. Even the semifinalists of 1930 only won twice. The win would be validation that the team’s start to the tournament was no outlier – though seeing Paraguay knock out Germany just three games after the US ran riot over the South American side provides ample demonstration that this US team should officially be rated “not bad.” 2. A national deflating. Should the USA win and then lose to Senegal... wait, what just happened? Oh. Should the USA win and then lose to Senegal or Belgium, that would be yet another in a succession of losses in the round of 16, but again -- they would have won three games and would probably stake a claim as one of the better teams to miss out on the quarterfinals.
A loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina would be less palatable among US sport fandom. Which may be unfair, because this is absolutely the biggest game in the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Until this year, the only points the young nation had managed in the World Cup final tournament were in a dead-ish rubber against Iran in 2014. In theory, Iran could’ve wiped out the World Cup debutants and advanced past Nigeria on goal difference, but the Iranian team put up little resistance and collapsed to a 3-1 defeat. Last year, Bosnia and Herzegovina put up a credible performance in group-stage qualifying, finishing second behind Austria. Then they won two nail-biting affairs in the European playoffs, eliminating Wales on penalties after a late goal from grizzled veteran Edin Džeko, then shocking Italy on penalties after another second-half equalizer. Then in their return to the Big Dance after 12 years away, Bosnia and Herzegovina stunned co-host Canada with a first-half goal and held on for an impressive draw. Switzerland picked them apart, but they advanced with a solid 3-1 smackdown over Qatar. And Bosnia and Herzegovina absolutely will not be intimidated.
The BriefWire