Once again, the USA is likely going to be on the front foot at the World Cup.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is not going to look to take the game to the Americans on Wednesday night. The European underdog will bring a defensive approach that the U.S. has already seen during this tournament.
Here’s what to expect from both sides ahead of their round of 32 matchup.
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s approach will be similar to what the USA saw against Paraguay. I’m expecting more of a mid-block instead of a low one, like what Australia played. Bosnia will defend higher up the field but still won’t leave itself too exposed.
Bosnia and Herzegovina had the third-fewest entries into the opponent’s 18-yard box and the lowest of any team that advanced to the round of 32. That should give you an idea of what to expect from them in this match.
To be clear, I’m not discrediting Bosnia and Herzegovina’s abilities, especially since the squad does have a couple of players who are more than capable of making an impact in attack.
Esmir Bajraktarević and Edin Džeko celebrate Bosnia and Herzegovina’s win over Qatar. (Alex Livesey – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
I trained with Esmir ahead of the Olympics in 2024. He has always been a quality player and, like so many others who thrive on the dribble, he just so happens to be left-footed.
Esmir’s ball control and on-ball ability in one-on-one situations is very good. He’s able to skate past defenders and produce a pass that can change the game. What is keeping him from being a top playmaker is that his final product, the final pass or final shot, isn’t quite there yet. He’s only 21 and is still more than capable of making a big difference in a game, though. And he is already a proven winner with his club PSV Eindhoven having won two straight Dutch league titles.
The other name that most soccer fans will be familiar with is Edin Džeko. The 40-year-old striker may not start this match, but he’s a constant threat in the opposition box who’s capable of scoring a big goal when needed.
Edin Dzeko puts home the equalizer in the 28th minute to bring Bosnia to a tie with Finland, 2-2
What To Expect From The USA
When you play against teams that sit back with a cautious, defensive approach, finding an early goal will be key. That’s something the U.S. has done very well in this tournament, having scored in the third, 11th and seventh minutes in the first three games.
Finding that first goal is so big in terms of how the game will be dictated. Taking the early lead would set up well for us in a game where we’ll have a lot of the ball.
The longer you go without a goal against teams that are more defensive, a little bit more anxiety gradually creeps in. You start to push a little more and maybe leave yourself more susceptible at the back.
Starting aggressively has been the American mentality so far in this tournament. We’ve been very good at pressing the opponent when it has the ball, especially in the first half. From there, when we win the ball higher up the field, we’re in control.
This isn’t the kind of plan we’ll have against every team. The U.S. has not played a possession-oriented team yet, but that may happen against Belgium in the round of 16 if both teams advance. In those situations, the strategy will be different.
Weston McKennie has been a consistent positive in the U.S. midfield so far at the World Cup. (Jared C. Tilton – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Weston has an ability to do whatever the team needs, which makes him so valuable in the U.S. midfield.
Against Paraguay, he made some important runs forward into attacking channels, creating mismatches and overloading wings against opposing defenders before ultimately moving into the box looking for a scoring chance.
I feel like we haven’t talked too much about Weston so far in this tournament because so many guys have played well. All the goals that the U.S. has scored have maybe overshadowed his performances so far in the tournament, but he has been very important so far with his running and movement.
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