By Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line
THE YANKEES of USA in the early morning of Thursday Nigerian time finished off Bosnia in the round of 32 games by 2-0 to set up a round of 16 clash on 7th July against Belgium in Seattle.
Grandson of Nigeria’s football thunderbolt of a striker in the days of yore called Thunder Teslim Balogun, Folarin who plays for Monaco FC. got the lead goal for USA in a lone left foot strike in the 45th minute of play his grandfather and his father Kayode were hot with the left foot.
It was his 3rd goal in the tournament having scored a brace against Paraguay.
At 45+8th minute Folarin showed off the gene of the Balogun family when his right foot strike from a close range shook the horizontal bar looking as if it was going to fall off as his grandfather had done before.
Former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola built a statute for Thunder Balogun at the Lagos Stadium Surulere Lagos opposite the National Stadium which stands till today.
Folarin however got a straight red card approved by VAR for his 25th birthday today 3rd July when he fouled on Bosnia’s Tarik Muharemovic in the 61st minute.
He will miss the match against Belgium in the round of 16 on 7th July.
Cover photo. Red Roses for Nigerian born Folarin Balogun on his 25th birthday today 3rd July 2026.
Midfielder Malik Tlllman however got USA her 2nd goal from a ballistic missile shot from 20 metres away in the 82nd minute to celebrate USA first knockout stage win since 2002.
The match was rough like a rugby match needing strength to gain upper hand that the only yellow card of the match given to Stjepan Radeijic in the 61st minute saw Ref Raphael Claus giving another instant yellow to Bosnia Manager Sergej Barbarez for ungentlemanly conduct.
Debutante Bosnia had better stats in the match with 11-9 shots at goal; 4-2 on target; controlling the game with 52-48% possession while stringing 430- 399 passes with 13-7 foul calls but 3-4 corner kicks.
Spain clashes with Australia at 8.00pm today; Portugal meets Croatia at midnight.
Tomorrow Friday at 4.00pm Algeria battles Switzerland with Nigeria’s Israel Akanji commanding Swiss defence; Argentina versus Cape Verde is at 9.00pm.
On Saturday Ghana will face Columbia in the last match of round of 32 games.
#FIFA #2026WORLDCUP
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