USA Awaits? 4 Takeaways From Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar At The World Cup

Bosnia and Herzegovina rose to the occasion to defeat Qatar 3-1 in Seattle, and likely put itself into the knockout stages of a World Cup for the first time. Sergej Barbarez’s team was aggressive in the first half behind standout performances from teenager Kerim Alajbegovic and legendary 40-year-old captain Edin Džeko to propel the team to a defining World Cup victory. The full rankings of third-place teams will not be known until later in the week, but Bosnia and Herzegovina is now in great shape to advance. Here are my four takeaways from the match: 1. Youth Is Served For Bosnia and Herzegovina In a World Cup that has been dominated by some of the greatest players to ever play the game, Bosnia and Herzegovina is all-but-assured to qualify for the knockout stages for the first time in its history, thanks to major contributions from its youth, including its youngest-ever goalscorer in winger Kerim Alajbegović (18). Born in Cologne, Germany, to Bosnian parents, Alajbegović took a ball from Ivan Basic and evaded several Qatari defenders and fired a brilliant and unstoppable shot into the top corner. Bosnia and Herzegovina has a promising group of younger players within its system and Alajbegović is a big part of the team’s future. Now at Salzburg, he is set to join Bayer Leverkusen this summer. Even aside from the goal, Alajbegović had a very good and complete performance where he was routinely dangerous and always looking to make a difference. That is why this tournament can be so much fun. It is not just for established stars; it is also a place where stars are made – and Alajbegović just scored what is arguably the biggest goal in the history of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team. In addition to Alajbegović, Ivan Basic was also very dangerous for Bosnia and Herzegovina throughout the game. Basic not only assisted on Alajbegović’s goal, he also set up Džeko for a shot off the post. He was the best passer in this game. At just 24, Basic is a player not just for this World Cup, but he will also be important to Bosnia & Herzegovina by a long stretch. Finally, there is Ermin Mahmic, the 21-year-old who put the game out of reach with the third Bosnia and Herzegovina goal. Born in Austria to Bosnian parents, Mahmic played for Austrian youth national teams in the past. It was only last month, in May, when he completed a change-of-association switch with FIFA to play for Bosnia & Herzegovina. In doing so and then scoring in this game, he became one of the key pieces to this national team’s future. Bosnia and Herzegovina is well set up for the future with a talented base of young players. Most of these players were born outside of Bosnia and Herzegovina at a time when many families in the country were displaced in the 1990s. Now, many children born abroad to Bosnian parents in the years following the war are opting to play for Bosnia & Herzegovina. In addition to Mahmic and Alajbegović, there is also Esmir Bajraktarevic, who started in this game and played a big role in World Cup qualifying. Bajraktarevic was born and raised in Wisconsin and played for the U.S. U-20 and U-23 teams (and one appearance with the full national team) before switching to Bosnia and Herzegovina. 2. Džeko Still Important To Bosnia What was fun about this win for Bosnia and Herzegovina is that it was not just the youth of Alajbegović; it was also a very important performance from Edin Džeko, who at age 40 is Bosnia and Herzegovina’s all-time leading scorer. The Sarajevo native has over 400 career goals for club and country. For Bosnia and Herzegovina, he has 73 goals in 150 appearances. Džeko did not score in this game, but he made the team’s second goal possible when he got on the end of a cross from fullback Sead Kolasinac deep in the box. He then attempted to send a header back across the goal, but it deflected off Sultan Al Brake for an own goal. In the 38th minute, Džeko nearly put the game out of reach when he got on the end of a brilliant ball from Basic while in stride towards the goal. He took a left-footed shot that looked as if it was heading into the corner, but instead hit the post. Džeko’s 150th cap ended in the 64th minute when he was subbed out. While he was technically not part of a goal contribution, it was a very good performance and the win was not possible without him. Between Džeko and Alajbegović, it was a win that was made possible by two players 22 years apart in age, spanning multiple generations. It was a true “changing of the guard” moment for the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team. 3. Qatar kept fighting When Qatar conceded its second goal in a five-minute span via an own goal to fall behind 2-0, it seemed as if Qatar was going to fold and make a quiet exit from the tournament. That was not the case at all. Qatar responded by playing its best soccer of the tournament, by far. It began with a great cross from right back Pedro Miguel that found Edmílson Junior at the back post. He then was able to set up Hassan Al-Haydos for a close finish to pull one back and make it 2-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina. Then, just before the half, Miguel nearly equalized for Qatar but hit the post instead. While trailing in the later stages of the first half, Qatar enjoyed a long spell where it was on the front foot. It was a positive response for Qatar and one that should make its fans proud that the team put up a fight and never gave up. 4. The U.S Awaits? Bosnia and Herzegovina finished third in Group B behind Switzerland and Canada. But with four points, that will certainly be enough to send the team through to its first-ever knockout appearances. One of the likely scenarios now has this Bosnia & Herzegovina team facing the United States on July 1 at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in what would be a huge occasion for both teams. For the U.S. team, it is a chance to win a rare knockout game on home soil. For Bosnia and Herzegovina, it will likely be the biggest game in the history of its national team. Bosnia and Herzegovina matches up well with the United States. It has a nice blend of youth and experience that should give the team plenty of energy. It is also a strong and physical group. Under head coach Sergej Barbarez, the players all play hard and compete. That was how it enjoyed its defining moment of beating Italy in the playoffs of World Cup qualifying. The U.S. team will scout Bosnia and Herzegovina extensively ahead of this potential matchup, and if the game materializes, Mauricio Pochettino will have to prepare his team for a very physical battle for 90 — or possibly even 120 minutes.