Balogun went from scoring to a straight red card in 19 minutes, the US team's first win in 24 years reads like an injury report.

64th minute: Balogun walks toward the locker room.

68,827 people at Levi's Stadium, half still in shock.

19 minutes earlier, he had just slammed his third goal of the tournament into the net. A pushed shot, deflected, but a goal is a goal. First-half xG of 0.93 to 0.01, the US grinding Bosnia into the turf.

19 minutes later, his studs landed squarely on Muharemovic's ankle.

Referee Klaus didn't even reach for his pocket at first. VAR intervened. On-field review. Straight red.

24 years old, his first World Cup knockout match, a goal and a red card. Zidane headbutted Materazzi at 34 in his farewell game, a tantrum with some justification. Balogun's stamp was senseless.

The road is long. But he broke the US's blade for the next round with his own hands.

The red card was bad enough; the process was even uglier.

Former ESPN referee Andy Davis blasted after the match: VAR "protocol was misused" and "made the wrong decision."

But slow motion doesn't lie. The studs were on the ankle.

The internet split instantly. One side shouted that protecting players requires such calls, the other accused double standards, claiming a bigger star wouldn't get a straight red for the same tackle.

Arguing is useless. FIFA told The Athletic: World Cup 2026 Rule 10.5, red cards and suspensions are not appealable.

Broken is broken. No appeal channel, no disciplinary committee review. Balogun is confirmed out for the Round of 16.

On the tactical ledger, it hurts more.

Balogun has 3 goals this tournament, the team's top scorer. The sharpness built in the group stage was all meant to draw blood in the knockout rounds.

Pulisic had a close-range volley in the 78th minute, called offside. The US's second attacking output point is still a mystery box.

Since Pochettino took over, he translated the US's athleticism into high pressing. Two group stage wins, advancing early, looked good.

But knockout football is a different game.

Margin for error can be covered by squad depth in the group stage. Down a man in a knockout match, the defense is paper-thin.

Now the sharpest blade in the attack is gone.

Next match, Seattle, Monday.

75th minute: Bosnia makes a substitution.

40-year-old Džeko stands up from the bench.

Down 0-1, facing a team with ten men. It should be a scripted story: a man advantage, equalize in 25 minutes, a perfect farewell for the veteran.

Football doesn't follow scripts.

Džeko's stats after coming on stripped away all illusions: one long-range shot grazed the post, that's it. Bosnia's late long-range efforts all missed the frame, like heavy punches hitting cotton.

148 national team appearances, all-time leader. 73 goals, all-time top scorer. 5 goals in 6 qualifiers, single-handedly dragging Bosnia into the World Cup finals for the first time in 12 years.

In a pre-match interview with Sky Sports, he said: "I am the oldest player, obviously. You always have a big responsibility."

In another Guardian article, he confessed: "Sometimes there is an end for all of us, maybe mine is coming soon."

At 40, he never thought he'd stand on World Cup turf again.

The last 15 minutes, a man advantage, long shots didn't go in.

Final whistle. He didn't hug anyone, didn't complain to the referee. He just stood there.

There is no next match.

82nd minute: Tillman stood over a free kick 22 meters out.

Left foot. Over the wall. Into the top corner.

xG 0.07. Meaning out of 100 shots from that position, only 7 go in.

Down to ten men, leading by only one goal, the opponent gaining momentum. If that shot had missed, the last ten minutes would have been a different nightmare.

Goal. 2-0.

The US's first World Cup knockout victory in 24 years, since beating Mexico in 2002.

Ending a 10-match losing streak against European teams. It also wiped out Pochettino's shameful record of 0 wins, 6 losses, 6 goals for and 18 against against European teams during his tenure.

A beautiful win on paper.

But turn the page, and the next opponent is Belgium.

Three months ago, March 28, Atlanta. US 2-5 Belgium, conceding five goals. The Guardian called it "one of the most humiliating defeats in USMNT history."

The same opponent. Belgium just came back from 0-2 down in the Round of 32 to beat Senegal 3-2 in extra time. Tielemans scored a penalty in the 120+5th minute, showing their resilience.

Pochettino said before the match: "For us, it's the final of the World Cup tomorrow."

He was talking about Bosnia.

Now Bosnia is past. The next round is the real final.

Balogun can only watch from the stands. Džeko likely won't appear at a World Cup again.

The hosts won the match they waited 24 years for.

But from the next match, they have to face the team that stabbed them five times three months ago, without their sharpest blade.