USA Eye Last 16 Spot Against Bosnia and Herzegovina in San Francisco Showdown

The hosts are in the driving seat. Having topped their group with a pair of victories, the USA now face third-placed Bosnia and Herzegovina in Thursday's last-32 encounter, knowing that progression to the next round awaits the victors. Mauricio Pochettino's men will fancy their chances, though their visitors proved their mettle just to get here.

The American campaign has largely impressed. A 4-1 demolition of Paraguay—the side that eliminated Germany—set a positive tone, followed by a 2-0 dismissal of Australia. A late 3-2 defeat to Turkey mattered little in the grand scheme, with Pochettino content that his work in the group stage was complete despite some criticism about momentum.

Bosnia and Herzegovina scraped through as one of the best third-placed teams with four points. Their path included a 1-1 stalemate with Canada, a heavy 4-1 reverse against Switzerland (though they trailed just 1-0 with six minutes remaining), and a crucial 3-1 victory over Qatar when the stakes were highest.

Team News

Christian Pulisic's condition remains the headline story for the USMNT. The former Chelsea playmaker featured for 45 minutes in the Paraguay rout, providing two assists before a calf strain forced his withdrawal. He missed the Australia fixture but returned for 32 minutes against Turkey, with Pochettino confirming his availability. Auston Trusty was stretchered off with an ankle problem in that Turkey loss, though the Celtic defender downplayed the severity. Both he and Cristian Roldan, along with Mark McKenzie, will undergo late fitness assessments.

For Bosnia and Herzegovina, Tarik Muharemovic returns from suspension after his red card in the Switzerland match. The Sassuolo defender is free to play. Amir Dedic, Benfica's right-back, is the only real concern, nursing a thigh issue ahead of the contest.

Match Details

The fixture takes place at 1am BST (5pm local time) on Thursday, July 2 at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in California. BBC One will broadcast the match, with coverage commencing at 12:50am, while BBC Radio 5 Live and talkSPORT offer commentary.

The Betting Picture

The odds heavily favour the co-hosts. The USA are priced at 2/5 to win in 90 minutes, with Bosnia and Herzegovina at 7/1 and the draw at 4/1. In the outright qualification market, the Americans are 2/11 to progress, while their opponents sit at 5/1.

What to Expect

On paper, a group winner against a third-placed finisher looks straightforward. Yet Bosnia and Herzegovina warrant respect. They emerged from European playoffs as underdogs against Wales in the semi-finals and Italy in the final, embracing the role and prevailing on both occasions. They also came agonisingly close to upsetting Canada in their opening group game.

There's a curious wrinkle in the statistics too: the USA have lost their last ten matches against European opposition. Home advantage—whether through familiar conditions or the occasional generous refereeing call—typically favours co-hosts, but Bosnia and Herzegovina have shown they thrive when written off.

The draw at 4/1 represents value, as does a punt on the USA winning in extra time at 10/1. For those feeling adventurous, Bosnia and Herzegovina's penalty victory at 16/1 merits consideration; they've despatched Wales and Italy from the spot, and goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj is notably reliable in shootouts.

The winner faces either Belgium or Senegal in the round of 16.