Favored U.S. is taking nothing for granted in World Cup knockout match against Bosnia - BERITAJA

SANTA CLARA — Malik Tillman was among the millions of viewers who tuned successful Monday for Paraguay’s stunning World Cup victory complete Germany. And he whitethorn person been a much willing spectator than most.

Not only was Tillman calved successful Germany, but the U.S. squad he plays for successful this World Cup routed Paraguay successful its tourney opener. So now that the South Americans person beaten the 10th-ranked squad successful the world, does that make the U.S. amended than Germany?

Tillman laughed disconnected the question.

“This is up to you guys to say,” he told a group of reporters. “Of people it gives america a small spot of confidence. But I deliberation the about important instruction is that you person to beryllium ready. Anything could happen.”

Much has happened 3 days into the elimination stages of this World Cup. Paraguay and Morocco eliminated European giants Germany and the Netherlands connected punishment kicks and Brazil, a five-time champion, needed a extremity heavy successful stoppage clip to hit Japan, which has ne'er won a knockout game.

All those results connection a cautionary communicative for the U.S., which is heavy favored successful its round-of-32 crippled pinch Bosnia-Herzegovina connected Wednesday astatine Levi’s Stadium successful Santa Clara.

U.S. guardant Folarin Balogun celebrates pinch teammates aft scoring against Paraguay during a World Cup lucifer astatine SoFi Stadium connected June 12.

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

“The knockout information is unforgiving,” defender Chris Richards said. “Every squad that’s successful the knockout information has earned it and deserved it. So I’m going to spell into it pinch the aforesaid mentality.”

The group shape is 3 games long, meaning teams gets astatine slightest 1 Mulligan. The U.S., for example, won its first 2 games to clinch a spot successful the adjacent round, past mislaid to Turkey successful a meaningless last game.

But location is nary room for mistakes now. Previous performances are wiped distant and everyone goes moreover into the elimination rounds, wherever a triumph will nonstop you connected and a nonaccomplishment will nonstop you home.

“We don’t deliberation excessively overmuch about we hit this team, they hit this team. It doesn’t really matter. We conscionable person to beryllium fresh going forward,” said Christian Pulisic, who has been constricted by a calf wounded to 1 commencement and 78 minutes successful the tournament.

However Pulisic, who hasn’t played a afloat 90-minute crippled successful much than 3 months, pronounced himself fresh earlier training Tuesday.

That’s bully because the knockout rounds person ne'er been benignant to the U.S., which has won conscionable 1 elimination crippled successful its history. That came successful 2002 erstwhile the Americans hit Mexico to scope the quarterfinals of a World Cup for the only clip successful the modern era.

And that’s not the only history the U.S. will beryllium seeking to upend Wednesday against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The U.S. is winless successful its past 12 games against European opponents and has mislaid its past 10 straight, opening pinch its last crippled successful the past World Cup erstwhile it was eliminated by the Netherlands.

“I don’t judge that,” said U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino, who said he wasn’t alert of his team’s dismal grounds against European teams. “It’s axenic coincidence.”

The past European squad the U.S. beat? Bosnia and Herzegovina, successful December 2021.

That was a different squad though, 1 managed by Bulgarian Ivaylo Petev. Under coach Sergej Barbarez, a erstwhile master poker player, the gritty Bosnians seldom gamble, alternatively playing a disciplined and beingness style that emphasizes compactness and swift counterattacks.

Barbarez said he’s been enjoying some his clip successful the U.S. during this World Cup, but besides watching the joyousness and enthusiasm pinch which the Americans play.

“I’m smiling because these guys, they’re making maine smile,” he said. “I’m happy that I’m still successful the USA. This is the seventh metropolis successful the USA — hopefully we’ll beryllium successful the eighth.”

“This is simply a squad that deserves a immense respect from maine … the measurement they usage this euphoria about them for this World Cup, it’s bully to spot this. I really respect them.”

Bosnia hit Wales and Italy successful back-to-back playoff games successful March to suffice for its first World Cup successful 12 years, and its attack present has been much akin to that of Australia, a squad the U.S. hit 2-0 successful the group stage, than to European neighbour Turkey, the only squad that has taken down the U.S. successful the World Cup.

Getting done the first shape was a breeze for the U.S., which won its first 2 games, collecting six points successful group play for the first clip since 1930. Its 8 goals are the about ever for an American squad successful the tourney and a triumph Wednesday complete a Bosnian squad the U.S. has ne'er mislaid to would adhd to the history, giving the Americans 3 victories successful a World Cup for a first time.

Yet fixed what has already happened successful this tourney and fixed the pedigree of the teams already headed home, Pochettino is taking thing for granted.

“For us, it is the last of the World Cup tomorrow. Because we don’t person different opportunity if we fail,” he said. “And if we spell through, the adjacent 1 is going to beryllium different last of the World Cup. That needs to beryllium our mindset and our mentality.”

Staff writer Mirjam Swanson contributed to this report.