USA vs Bosnia & Herzegovina: Stars and Stripes Losing Sparkle?
by Bradley Gibbs | by Tyler Doty
Momentum lost
By winning their first two World Cup group games, doing so in convincing fashion, the group-stage was done and dusted for the US before a ball had even been kicked against the Turks. In other words, the result of that game was meaningless, but for many, that fixture represented a solid opportunity for the USMNT to build momentum. Unfortunately, by losing 3-2 to a team that had already been eliminated from the competition, they failed to do that, instead raising question marks over their readiness for what is the cut and thrust of the knockouts.
Whether anybody likes it or not, and Mauricio Pochettino was very clear that he did not in what was a frosty post-game press conference, the co-hosts have lost momentum ahead of the knockout rounds. Sure, they were through no matter what happened, but losing to a team that had no chance of qualifying does very little to build confidence, let’s be honest.
After that defeat, the players now likely feel that they have to prove something, and that can add unnecessary pressure. It will be interesting to see how the Stars and Stripes react and deal with that pressure against what could easily be a tough nut to crack.
The time is now for Mauricio Pochettino’s men to answer their critics after that Turkey loss. Ahead of the game in California, check out our USA vs Bosnia & Herzegovina Picks. Can the Stars and Stripes shine or are they losing their sparkle?
USA vs Bosnia key details
For the third time at this tournament, the USMNT will get down to business in the state of California. Two of their three games have been played in Inglewood, California, with the other taking place in Seattle. This time, it’s off to Santa Clara.
Key details ahead of USA vs Bosnia & Herzegovina:
Date: Wednesday, July 1st
Kick off time: 20:00 ET
Venue: Inglewood, California
Where to watch: FOX, Peacock
What should we expect from the Bosnians?
On paper, this looks like a nice Round-of-32 assignment. As group winners, the USA will take on a team that finished third. Nice and easy, right? Wrong. Their opponents are not here to make up the numbers and if the co-hosts can’t put that Turkey disappointment behind them and return to their best, then the Bosnians will smell blood, and if that happens, there’s trouble awaiting Pochettino’s players.
Do not be fooled by the fact that Bosnia & Herzegovina lost 4-1 against Switzerland. That game was rather even for around 70 minutes, during which the Bosnians limited the Swiss to very few chances. Some individual brilliance from Johan Manzambi, and a reckless red card changed things, but in general, we’re talking about a team that is not easy to defeat.
Here are the results of Bosnia’s last ten games, :
Won
Lost
Tied
Tied
Tied
Tied
Tied
Tied
Won
Won
This is going to be a battle, there’s no doubt about that. Anybody thinking that the US can bounce back with ease, or that the Bosnians will roll over needs to think again. Sergej Barbarez knows how to set his team up to frustrate, and that team has lots of experience when it comes to making life tough for opponents, and it will take more than the flair shown by the US in patches at this tournament to get the job done. It’s going to take some serious fighting too, which is why it will be a real blow to Pochettino and his troops as Weston McKennie is deemed unfit to play. McKennie has battled harder than anyone so far, and if he’s not ready to roll in California, the task ahead of the USMNT becomes a whole lot harder.
