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Bosnia and Herzegovina head coach Sergej Barbarez recently responded to Tim Howard's bold prediction ahead of their game against the U.S. Men's National Team -Credit:Jamie Squire, Getty Images
Tensions escalated ahead of Wednesday's FIFA World Cup Round of 32 game between the U.S. Men's National Team and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Former USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard's dismissal of the European nation sparked a pointed public response from Bosnia coach Sergej Barbarez and a measured reaction from captain Edin Džeko.
Howard, speaking on the 'Unfiltered Soccer' podcast, confidently predicted a dominant win for the Americans in Santa Clara, saying: "Bosnia... they're better off not even getting on a plane and going to San Francisco because the U.S. is gonna put work in against them."
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-Credit:Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA, Getty Images
The remarks have not gone unnoticed in the Bosnia camp, with Barbarez brushing off the comment while portraying his team as quietly determined rather than provoked, as per The Mirror US.
"Who is he? I don't know him," the coach said sarcastically when questioned about Howard's statements, declining to elaborate further on the subject.
Džeko, Bosnia's all-time leading scorer and talisman, responded with defiance. "We've already been through that in the qualifiers," the 40-year-old striker said, alluding to perceived arrogance from the U.S. team.
"I don't care what they say about us and whether they underestimate us. In the end, they always apologize. When you wake up the Dragon, it's already too late," he said.
The USMNT enters as favorites after finishing atop Group D, but an unexpected defeat to Türkiye in their final group match has dampened expectations and intensified pressure on Mauricio Pochettino's squad.
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Bosnia, on the other hand, secured third place in Group B and progressed as one of the top third-placed sides, with advancement to the knockout rounds offering an opportunity to erase their sole World Cup experience from 2014.
Tactically, the game will likely pivot on the USMNT's backline's capacity to neutralize Džeko, who remains a dangerous aerial threat and centerpiece of Bosnia's offensive strategy.
Barbarez is anticipated to deploy his squad in a condensed midfield formation, focusing on set-plays and long balls toward Džeko with the aim of capitalizing on a single opportunity to pull off an upset.
The buildup has only amplified the pressure for both nations.
With Džeko's impact and the Americans' pace management likely to decide the result, the scene is set for a nerve-wracking encounter in the Bay Area.
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