The 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 continued with another day packed with unforgettable moments as the United States, Belgium and England secured their places in the Round of 16.
Fans witnessed everything from late comebacks and controversial VAR decisions to stunning free kicks and historic milestones, making it one of the tournament’s most entertaining knockout matchdays so far.
USA Overcomes Red Card to Eliminate Bosnia and Herzegovina
Playing in front of a home crowd at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) showed resilience to defeat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0, despite playing more than 25 minutes with 10 men.
The Americans dominated possession throughout the opening half but found Bosnia’s disciplined defense difficult to break down. Folarin Balogun came close on multiple occasions, including having one goal ruled out for offside and another effort crash against the crossbar.
Just before halftime, the breakthrough finally arrived.
A clever through ball from Malik Tillman took two deflections before falling kindly to Balogun, who calmly slipped the ball beneath goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj in the 45th minute.
Balogun’s Red Card Changes Everything
The momentum shifted dramatically after the break.
In the 64th minute, Balogun received a straight red card following a VAR review for a dangerous high challenge on Tarik Muharemović, forcing Mauricio Pochettino’s side to defend its narrow advantage with 10 players.
Bosnia pushed forward in search of an equalizer, while Christian Pulisic thought he had doubled the lead before his goal was ruled out for offside.
Instead, it was Malik Tillman who produced the decisive moment.
In the 82nd minute, the midfielder curled a magnificent direct free kick over the defensive wall. Although Vasilj managed to get a hand on the strike, he couldn’t prevent it from finding the back of the net as the USA sealed a memorable 2-0 victory.
The win marks the United States’ first FIFA World Cup knockout-stage victory since 2002, giving the co-hosts renewed belief heading into the next round.
Belgium Stuns Senegal With Incredible Late Comeback
If the USA displayed resilience, Belgium produced one of the tournament’s greatest escape acts.
The Red Devils looked destined for elimination after falling 2-0 behind against Senegal before mounting a dramatic comeback to win 3-2 after extra time in Seattle.
Senegal Dominates Early
Senegal controlled much of the match during the opening stages.
Their pressure paid off in the 24th minute when Habib Diarra reacted quickest after Thibaut Courtois parried a dangerous cross, giving the African side a deserved lead.
Only six minutes into the second half, Senegal doubled its advantage.
A superb long pass from Moussa Niakhaté found Ismaïla Sarr, who expertly controlled the ball before finishing confidently past Courtois to make it 2-0.
Belgium’s Stunning Revival
With elimination looming, Belgium manager Domenico Tedesco turned to Romelu Lukaku, introducing the experienced striker from the bench.
The substitution changed everything.
In the 86th minute, Thomas Meunier combined brilliantly with Lukaku, whose finish finally gave Belgium hope.
Just three minutes later, Leandro Trossard delivered an inviting cross that Youri Tielemans headed home, completing an astonishing comeback and forcing extra time.
Tielemans Becomes Belgium’s Hero
As penalties appeared inevitable, Belgium found one final twist.
Deep into stoppage time of extra time (120+5 minutes), Tielemans was brought down inside the penalty area. Following a lengthy VAR review, the referee awarded the spot kick.
Tielemans kept his composure to convert the penalty and complete a remarkable 3-2 victory, scoring what was described as the latest winning goal in World Cup tournament history.
England Survives DR Congo Scare
England also needed a comeback to keep its World Cup hopes alive, edging DR Congo 2-1 in a tense encounter at Atlanta Stadium.
Underdogs Strike First
DR Congo shocked England almost immediately.
In just the 7th minute, Brian Cipenga capitalized on defensive hesitation to beat Jordan Pickford and hand the underdogs an early lead.
England struggled to create clear chances for much of the match, while frustration mounted as Jude Bellingham entered the referee’s notebook.
Harry Kane Delivers When England Needed Him Most
As time began to run out, England captain Harry Kane once again proved decisive.
The striker equalized in the 75th minute, finishing clinically after connecting with a dangerous cross to finally break DR Congo’s resistance.
Rather than settling for extra time, England continued attacking.
Their persistence paid off in the 86th minute, when Kane perfectly timed his run before firing home his second goal of the evening to complete a dramatic 2-1 comeback.
His brace ensured England advanced after surviving one of the biggest scares of the Round of 32.
Round of 16 Matchups Begin to Take Shape
Following today’s results, the Round of 16 is becoming increasingly exciting.
Confirmed fixtures include:
- United States vs Belgium — Monday, July 6 (local time), Seattle Stadium.
- England vs Mexico — Sunday, July 5 (local time), Mexico City Stadium.
Meanwhile, the remaining Round of 32 fixtures are still to be played:
- Spain vs Austria
- Portugal vs Croatia
- Switzerland vs Algeria
With dramatic comebacks, standout individual performances and high-pressure knockout football becoming the norm, the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues to deliver the kind of unforgettable moments fans expect from the world’s biggest tournament.
