The USMNT is heading to the Round of 16 after a 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the goal everyone’s still talking about came off Malik Tillman’s left foot. Bloody sock, awkward angle, perfect spin — it sailed over Bosnia’s tallest defender, Stjepan Radeljić, and kissed the net. Tillman became just the second American ever to score a World Cup goal on a direct free kick.
That got Bill Simmons thinking. The sports media personality posted on X that Tillman’s strike is now his second-favorite USA goal of all time, behind only Landon Donovan’s dagger against Algeria in 2010. Simmons also vented about what he saw as a questionable red card that cost the USMNT its best player for most of the match, calling out what he described as two hours of jersey-pulling and an awkward collision that somehow turned into a sending-off.
What Simmons actually said
Here’s his full post: “Iconic Tillman free kick. Favorite USA goal of my lifetime other than the Donovan/Algeria goal. Still reeling from the dubious red card on our best guy…, one team grabbed jerseys for 2 hours to stop advantages, the other team had an awkward collision somehow become a red… what?”
He’s referring to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, when Donovan scored in the 91st minute to break a 0-0 tie and push the U.S. into the knockout stage. That goal is basically folkloric at this point. Tillman’s strike isn’t there yet, but it’s got people comparing the two — and that’s not nothing.
What’s next for the USMNT
The Americans face Belgium on July 6 in Seattle. They’ll have to do it without Folarin Balogun, their top scorer, who’s out with an injury. The USMNT hasn’t made it past the Round of 16 since 2014, and before that they got bounced in the same round in 2010 and 2022. This team has a real shot even without Balogun, but Belgium won’t make it easy.
One thing’s for sure: Tillman’s free kick already has a spot in USMNT lore. Whether it stays there depends on what happens next week.
Leave a Comment