Balogun says United States finding 'another gear' for knockouts - ESPN

IRVINE, Calif. — United States forward Folarin Balogun said he can «feel the difference» in the atmosphere around the World Cup now that the knockout stage has begun.

After finishing atop Group D, the U.S. is set to play Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday in Santa Clara, California, in the round of 32. Whereas in the group stage teams can survive a poor result, that isn't the case now that the tournament is single-elimination.

«I can feel the difference in just the atmosphere,» Balogun told reporters before Sunday's practice session. «It's knockout football, so you lose, you go home. So for me, there's a change in my mindset and mentality as well.

»Not that I wasn't taking it seriously before, but you can just go into another gear because you want it more. I don't want the journey to end."

Balogun has two goals in the tournament and forced an own goal against Australia. He said he wouldn't think that the U.S. will have done well in the tournament if it loses Wednesday. He expects that he and his teammates will deliver.

«It's crunch time,» he said. «This is the business end and this is the stage where, in my opinion, the big players step forward and the big players carry the pressure and make things happen.»

The U.S. will be battling history, having won just one knockout stage match at any World Cup — the epic 2-0 defeat of bitter rivals Mexico at the 2002 tournament.

The U.S. is also riding a 12-game winless streak against European opposition, with its last win coming Dec. 18, 2021, against Bosnia. The U.S. has a 13-game winless streak in the World Cup against European opposition as well, with the last win coming against Portugal in 2002.

But winger Sergiño Dest believes that this is a different American team.

«We all are a