Malik Tillman #17 celebrates scoring the second U.S. goal in the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday in Santa Clara, Calif.Charlotte Wilson/Getty Images

Team U.S.A. started the knockout phase with a 2-0 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday Night in front of a crowd of 68,827 at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara. Things started slowly, but in the 45th minute, striker Folarin Balogun scored his third goal in the tournament to give Team USA a 1-0 lead. But then, in the 64th minute, they were left with 10 men, and their backs were on the wall after Balogun was sent off with a red card for a cleat-first on Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemović.

The USA was forced to the final 35 minutes of regulation, plus ten minutes of stoppage time, giving their feisty opponents the chance to equalize and pull off an upset victory. Then midfielder Malik Tillman answered when he floated the shorthanded goal that clinched the U.S.’s 2-0 victory over Bosnia.

While it was Team USA’s first knockout round victory since 2002, they will play that game without their striker Balogun, who will be suspended due to the red card. Balogun has now scored three goals in three World Cup games and leads his team in that category. He is now only one goal shy of tying the record for goals scored in a single World Cup by an American man, set in 1930 at the inaugural tournament by Bert Patenaude.

 “For me, never was it a red card,” coach Mauricio Pochettino said during the post-match news conference. “Never was it the intention to step on the player. That was a normal action in football. It happened by accident.”

Other team members defended Balogun after the match.

“I feel like obviously the ref made a decision that he made, but I think it’s questionable,” said midfielder Weston McKennie. “I think there’s been many other plays like that throughout the tournament on other players that a card wasn’t given at all. So it’s disappointing.”

“Like, just watching it now, it’s just disappointing,” said forward Christian Pulisic. “I understand it’s ‘a dangerous act’ in a way. But, if he’s just trying to put his foot on the ground and wasn’t high on his leg, it’s just so unfortunate.”

They will have to play their next without Balogun on Monday Night against Belgium. A team that has defeated Team USA in the 2014 World Cup when Belgium won 2-1 in extra time.