SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The U.S. men's national team have a chance to reset the tone on Wednesday when they take on Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32, both teams hoping this game is the start of a deep and memorable run at the World Cup.
History is on the line for both teams, the visitors' more straightforward. Bosnia and Herzegovina have reached the knockout rounds in their first-ever trip to the World Cup, an impactful summer already underway for them. For the USMNT, though, they chase their first win in the knockout rounds since 2002 and hope to build off the momentum that they built with two wins to start the tournament while dealing with the weight of expectations from a nation whose attention they have quickly captured. The World Cup co-hosts are the oddsmakers' favorite to advance but with they have tried not to take the moment for granted, even as a special feeling forms around the group.
"We don't have another opportunity if we fail," head coach Mauricio Pochettino said on Tuesday. "It's all in, knowing that that game is the final of the World Cup. If we were capable to go through, the next one is going to be another final of the World Cup. I think [that] needs to be our mindset and our mentality."
Pochettino's mantra for the last few days has been that "relaxation brings concentration," something he picked up from friend and Argentina World Cup winner Jorge Valdano. There was a calm confidence about the group building up to Wednesday's game, the strong performances over the last month only creating a sense of belief after a rocky road defined by inconsistent results served as their build-up to this summer's tournament. They are not trying to take the moment for granted, though, considering the stakes of the uncompromising win-or-go-home nature of a knockout game.
"It's a World Cup," forward Christian Pulisic said. "You're never going to get the so-called favorite winning every single time. This is soccer. This is the way things go. You can defend all game and win in the penalty kick shootout; that's the beauty of the game. So we have to be ready for whatever's to come. We don't think it's going to be easy, by any means."
The advantage, though, rests with the U.S. team. They boast a multifaceted attacking style that has allowed them to cut through the defensive tendencies of Paraguay and Australia, beating the former 4-1 and the latter 2-0 to clinch top spot in Group D with a game to spare. Bosnia and Herzegovina will attempt to pose a similar challenge, though they conceded six goals in three group stage matches so Wednesday's game poses an uphill battle for them. Another thing in the U.S. team's favor is that all of their mainstays are available for selection, chief among them Pulisic. He has not started since their World Cup opener on June 12, missing the Australia game entirely with a small calf issue and then coming on in the second half in Thursday's 3-2 loss to Turkiye when Pochettino selected a heavily rotated side. Pulisic said on Tuesday that he feels prepared to play all 90 minutes – or 120, should Wednesday's game go to extra time.
Each player who started the first two games has trained as normal in the build-up to Wednesday's game, though a few players are doubtful. Defender Auston Trusty, who scored the opener against Turkiye, missed sessions on Sunday and Monday but returned to full training on Tuesday and is expected to be on the bench after dealing with a small injury, while defender Mark McKenzie and midfielder Cristian Roldan may miss out. Both are dealing with minor issues of their own but McKenzie has received treatment on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday while Roldan has been doing individual work.
"A game like tomorrow is 90%, maybe, or 85% emotional," Pochettino said. "If we reduce the emotional and [make it] more about play[ing] and wait to put the emotional side at the end of the game, I think it's much better but it's difficult to reduce for both sides – for Bosnia and Herzegovina and for us. In every single game, you see that the games all start very emotional[ly], so excited, people running sometimes too much and trying to [be] overexcited. That is the challenge. That is the challenge but I think in the way that we are moving like a group and the players, I think they are in a very good mood and knowing that the things that we were talking about when we finished the Turkiye [game] is we need to prepare [for] the game.
"We are preparing [for] the game. In every single session, we were preparing. Yesterday, we said, 'We are preparing [for] the game. We are not playing the game yet.' Today, we are preparing [for] the game. We are not playing the game yet and tomorrow is the moment to play. Sometimes, you start to play too much before and you're wasting energy. In soccer and in football, an unpredictable thing can happen. We try to reduce that we need to approach like we were approaching the last few games. It's to go there and to play free and enjoy with responsibility."
How to watch USMNT vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina
Date: Sunday, July 1 | Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Levi's Stadium -- Santa Clara, Calif.
TV: Fox (Eng), Telemundo (Spa) | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
Odds: USMNT -290; Draw +400; Bosnia and Herzegovina +800
USMNT vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina predicted starting lineups
USMNT: Matt Freese, Alex Freeman, Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson, Tyler Adams, Malik Tillman, Sergino Dest, Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Nikola Vasilj, Amar Dedic, Nikola Katic, Tarik Muharemovic, Sead Kolasinac, Esmir Bajraktarevic, Benjamin Tahirovic, Ivan Basic, Kerim Alajbegovic, Ermedin Demirovic, Edin Dzeko
Keep up with the World Cup standings here
USMNT vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina pick, prediction
Bosnia and Herzegovina will be counted on to put on a formidable fight but it is very likely that a full strength version of the USMNT will start Wednesday's game and will do so eager to get off to a strong start. Expect them to do just that and register a commanding performance from start to finish that will ensure they will live another day at a World Cup on home soil. Pick: USMNT 2, Bosnia and Herzegovina 0
