USMNT coach says Bosnia match is like World Cup final

The U.S. men's national team coach said Wednesday's round-of-32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina will be treated like "the final of the World Cup." The coach added that failure ends the tournament and that the squad must perform at its highest level to advance. The team won its first two group matches before losing the third while using a rotated lineup.

Injury and preparation updates Defender Auston Trusty trained with the full squad this week and is described as much better than expected. Midfielder Cristian Roldan and defender Mark McKenzie face uncertain availability due to quad and foot issues. The coach said the team will wait until closer to kickoff because conditions can change within 24 hours.

Opponent assessment Bosnia-Herzegovina finished third in its group and is noted for physicality, aggression, individual quality, and the ability to change formations during matches. The coach called the tactical flexibility challenging to prepare for.

The coach said the team's current mentality is the result of work that began after the roster was announced May 26 and that the group now shows the improvement sought since the job began in September 2024.