Fans in Fresno celebrate as U.S. advances to World Cup round of 16

Soccer fans in Fresno erupted in celebration as the United States Men’s National Team secured a 2-0 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina in a win-or-go-home World Cup matchup, advancing to the tournament’s round of 16.

At Fresno Indoor Soccer, dozens of supporters gathered to watch the match, with many dressed in red, white and blue as they cheered on the Americans.

Every shot, save and foul drew reactions from the crowd, with fans hoping to see the United States earn its first knockout-round victory since 2002.

One supporter remained confident throughout the match despite the drought.

“We’ll be at the round of16 here pretty soon, 1-0, we’ll be up 2-0 when the game’s over,” the fan said.

Moments later, the United States scored a second goal to seal the victory, prompting a jubilant response from those watching in Fresno.

“I think this FIFA World Cup, the USA has shown a lot of heart. I’m a big Pulisic fan,” another fan said. “They’ve shown a lot of heart, so I’m really rooting for the USA this year.”

The tournament has attracted new fans across the country, with many Americans embracing the sport during the World Cup.

“It’s been pretty intense, the energy is great, the environment is great, so I’m all about it, yeah,” one supporter said.

In the Central Valley, however, soccer has long been a staple. As fans watched the match, young players nearby continued to develop their skills, hoping one day to compete on the sport’s biggest stage.

“If you know this game, you know how big this stage is. This is bigger than anything, and the US is going to put it on the map this time, for sure,” one fan said.

With the victory, the United States advanced to the Round of 16, where it is set to face ninth-ranked Belgium.

Fans remained optimistic about the team’s chances of continuing its run.

“Bring ’em, bring ’em. It doesn’t matter who we play. This is the knockout. It doesn’t matter who; we’re going to win. Either you win, you keep going. You don’t? You go home. And we’re going to stay,” one supporter said.

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