The U.S. men’s national team will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup’s Round of 32 in the Bay Area on Wednesday night. Ahead of the matchup, Front Office Sports caught up with longtime Fox Sports host Rob Stone to ask about what the common fan (such as this author) should be looking for in the matchup and beyond.
Front Office Sports: If people are just parachuting in for the knockout stage with the USMNT, what are some key players and trends to know about going into the Bosnia game?
Rob Stone: They have been electric from the start, getting goals in the first 10 minutes in all three group games. They’re scoring goals, they’re taking players on 1v1, they’re playing with a passion, and they are playing with a style that can completely resonate with the American fan.
It’s hustling, it’s speed, it’s active, it’s fun, it’s passionate. Folarin Balogun has been a revelation. He had two goals in the opening game against Paraguay. He’s been an absolute, legitimate scoring threat that our nation has been craving for years.
Christian Pulisic and his battle with his calf injury has been a subplot. He started the first game but could only play 45 minutes but was super impactful. He was able to come back in Game 3 against Turkey for just over half an hour and again show that he’s an absolute difference maker.
