MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
OK. Now, a 2-0 win may not sound like much of a nail-biter, but last night in the FIFA World Cup, the U.S. men's national team looked like it might be on the ropes before pulling out a win against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
A MART脥NEZ, HOST:
It's the first time in almost a quarter-century that the United States has won a game in the World Cup knockout stage.
MARTIN: NPR sports correspondent Becky Sullivan was there. Hopefully she's gotten her heart rate back down.
BECKY SULLIVAN, BYLINE: (Laughter).
MARTIN: And now she's joining us on the line from San Jose, California. Good morning, Becky.
SULLIVAN: Good morning, Michel.
MARTIN: I mean, what a game.
SULLIVAN: Yeah.
MARTIN: How big of a win is this?
SULLIVAN: Unbelievable. Yeah. I mean, this was a wild ride. It's a huge win, Michel, because, I mean, just being there, the U.S. had to work and work and work to get that first goal to go up 1-0 just before halftime. And then their striker, Folarin Balogun, who is this - like, the newest big star of this team made this disastrous mistake in the second half. He got his legs tangled up with a Bosnian defender. He stepped on the defender's ankle. It went to a video review, and it was deemed a red card, meaning he was out for the game, of course. And the U.S. was forced to play down a man for the remainder of the game, which was, like, 25 minutes plus stoppage time. And I don't think any fan in the stadium was confident at all in that point in a U.S. win. Bosnia was, of course, only down 1. Anything could have happened. And they pulled it off for the biggest win for the U.S. men's national team in a good long time.
MARTIN: OK, so tell us about the win. There was this hero moment in the second...
SULLIVAN: Yes.
MARTIN: ...Half, when the U.S. went up to 2-0. Tell us about it.
SULLIVAN: Yeah, exactly. Yeah. So they were playing shorthanded. They're down a guy. But this yellow card on a Bosnian defender gave the U.S. this golden opportunity - a free kick from near the top of the penalty area. And up steps midfielder Malik Tillman. He couldn't have hit a prettier shot - just right over the wall of defenders and into the net. He is just one of the best, most skilled players on the team, and yet he is also just one of the quietest, most understated, one of the most soft-spoken people I think I've ever met. Sometimes you even struggle to hear him when he's just speaking to a small crowd of us reporters. And here is how he put it after the game.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
MALIK TILLMAN: I'm a different type of person on the pitch. Of course, maybe you don't really see my emotions. But if you score a goal like this, I mean, I think also you guys saw my emotions. And then, no, so it's a great feeling, and of course a very proud moment for me.
SULLIVAN: (Laughter) Yes, you can hear how quiet he is there. He was born in Germany. His mom is German. His dad was in the American Armed Forces. He's American. And so Malik is just one of these dual nationals that the U.S., of course, is very happy to have on the team right now. 'Cause when you can score a shorthanded goal like that, Michel, there is nothing that takes the wind out of the sails faster for an opponent in a game like that.
MARTIN: OK. But this red card, right?
SULLIVAN: Yes.
MARTIN: For...
SULLIVAN: It is a big deal. Yeah, unfortunately it's a big deal because Balogun has become a huge centerpiece of this team in the World Cup. So far, he has played in three games. He had three goals, which is already tied for the second-most all time by any American man in a single World Cup. He's not the type of guy who picks up a lot of yellow and red cards. This is his first-ever red card for the national team, so sitting out is going to be a big deal. Here is his teammate Christian Pulisic after the game.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
CHRISTIAN PULISIC: It's just disappointing. Like, I understand it's, you know, a dangerous act in a way, but, like, he's just trying to put his foot on the ground, and it wasn't high on his leg. It's just so unfortunate.
SULLIVAN: You can just, like, really hear the disappointment in his voice. I mean, Pulisic is exactly the guy, by the way, who benefits from Balogun being on the field because Balogun is good. It takes away some of the pressure from Pulisic, who has long been the biggest star of the U.S. men's national team. Now, the opponent next week, Belgium, will get to focus more of that attention on Christian Pulisic.
MARTIN: So for people who don't know the game that well yet, that means that Balogun is out for the next match, which is against Belgium. So what else are we going to see there?
SULLIVAN: Yeah. You know, it's hard to know. The U.S. certainly has a chance, even without Balogun. And a win, Michel, would bring the Americans to the quarterfinals, which would match the deepest run they've ever had in a modern World Cup.
MARTIN: That is NPR's Becky Sullivan. Becky, thank you.
SULLIVAN: You're welcome.
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