Mauricio Pochettino is not in the market for playing underdog football this summer. 

Momentum is growing after a 2-0 victory for the United States men’s national team over Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was just the second knockout stage win in the nation’s history and booked a last-16 clash with Belgium next week.

The “why not us?” slogan has provided a sense of togetherness among the squad and wider fanbase, but Wednesday’s performance showed just how keen the USMNT is to be the protagonist of its fate, showing how well-rounded they can be both on and off the ball.

The opening two games saw Pochettino’s side boast a 65 per cent and 61 per cent share of possession against Paraguay and Australia, respectively — just edging dominance of the ball with a 53 per cent share in its final group game against Turkey.

That share fell to 49 per cent against Bosnia and Herzegovina — largely owing to the unfortunate red card picked up by Folarin Balogun in the second half — but much of the game saw the USMNT looking to take the game to an admittedly weak opponent.

Breaking down deeper, stubborn low blocks has been a theme of the World Cup this summer. Pochettino’s side sustained attacks excellently and pushed the opposition back into its own third across the group stage.

The USMNT’s attacking principles are well-established, with a clear desire to use the wide channels with bursting runs from Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie beyond the ball — spearheaded by the powerful Balogun through the centre.

However, Pochettino should be credited for just how robust, intense, and purposeful he has made the USMNT out of possession. This is hardly surprising given the Argentinian’s CV, with a high defensive work rate being a hallmark of his Espanyol, Southampton, and Tottenham Hotspur sides as he built his managerial career.

The energy from the home support is clearly emanating onto the pitch, with a controlled aggression to press the opposition into submission — and the numbers support what the eyes see. Per FIFA’s data, no nation has spent a higher share of its time out of possession in a “counterpress” phase. In simple terms, this outlines how often a team looks to regain the ball immediately after losing it.

As the graphic outlines below, Pochettino’s side is benefitting from a coordinated press on home turf.

An example of this can be seen in the first half. After McKennie cedes possession on the near side, his first thought is to sprint towards the ball to win it back — supported by three team-mates to outnumber Bosnia and force them into a mistake during a moment of transition.

Typically pressing out of a 4-4-2 formation, the USMNT were quick to adapt when they locked on man-for-man against Bosnia during the opposition’s attempt to build out from the back.

The example below shows right-sided Sergino Dest staying central in his press after previously making an attacking run, meaning Balogun shifts across to cover Bosnia’s left-back as his team-mates back him up.

Every USMNT player has an opponent man-marked in the Bosnia half, forcing the opposition to go longer with its passing as Tyler Adams eventually intercepts to win a throw-in. Note the role of McKennie below, acting as a spare man to pick up any second balls that might arrive if the U.S. do turn the ball over.

Such was the intent from the U.S. in the first half that Bosnia goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj was forced to go long with the majority of his goal-kicks for fear of getting caught out in possession.

Such high pressing off the ball has been a theme of Pochettino’s summer, with the USMNT among the most intense sides in the tournament. This is shown by its “passes per defensive action (PPDA)”, which counts how many passes a team allows the opposition to make before attempting to win the ball back with a defensive action.

A lower PPDA number indicates higher intensity when trying to win the ball back, and a higher figure indicates a team that is more passive without the ball. When plotted alongside its volume of counter-attacks per game, it highlights how much Pochettino’s side is embracing the transition.

Not only does this style allow the U.S. to regain control of the game to impose its own style back on proceedings, but such intensity can provide lucrative opportunities in attack when the opposition is at its most vulnerable.

Take the example of Balogun’s offside finish in the first half. The U.S. lock onto every Bosnia player again as they look to play the ball out, but indecision on the ball allows Malik Tillman to pounce before McKennie plays Balogun in on goal.

They have gone from defence to attack in seconds.

It was a similar pattern that eventually led to the opening goal for the U.S.

Another man-for-man press gives Vasilj no option but to play the ball long. As he does, Tim Ream gets first contact for the U.S. to spring forward quickly while Bosnia is not in its defensive shape.

As the ball falls to Tillman, a simple forward pass sees Balogun finish sharply.

The U.S. has shown that they can break down a low block with its wide rotations during the group stage, but Wednesday’s performance might be more instructive when considering its next opponents.

Belgium might not be the swashbuckling force they once were, but they do still have the technical quality to look after possession for long periods. Rudi Garcia’s side is likely to have more of the ball in their last-16 tie, but that should not be of concern to Pochettino’s side. 

If they execute the coherent pressing approach that served them well against Bosnia, the USMNT has shown that it can also be at its most dangerous when it does not have the ball.

A peak audience of 16.3 million people tuned in to watch England’s dramatic win over DR Congo in the World Cup on Wednesday.

The 17:00 BST kick-off was watched on average by 14 million people on BBC TV, the most watched moment on the BBC this year.

There was an additional 10.4m streams on BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and app.

Harry Kane scored twice in the final 15 minutes to bring England back from the brink of an early exit after DR Congo went in front in the seventh minute.

The live coverage page was viewed more than 20m times globally, including 14m in the UK, making it the biggest day on the BBC Sport website and app since the last World Cup.

England will face Mexico in the last 16 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Monday.

That game is scheduled for 01:00 BST and will be live on BBC One, radio and online.

England’s World Cup group games against Croatia and Ghana kicked off at 21:00 while the Panama game was at 22:00.

The Croatia opener (15.4m peak) and win over Panama (13.76m peak) was shown on ITV, while the draw with Ghana attracted a peak audience of 15.4m on the BBC, plus 8.3m requests on the BBC Sport app and BBC iPlayer.

“These are extraordinary audience figures that show the BBC is the place the nation comes together for the biggest sporting moments,” said BBC Director of Sport, Alex Kay-Jelski.

“We’re proud to be delivering the moments that matter to audiences wherever and however they choose to follow the tournament, as England’s World Cup journey continues.”

The World Cup accounted for more than a third (34%) of all hours streamed on BBC iPlayer during the final week of the group stage.

Football Daily’s visualised podcast is also proving a major hit with fans, generating more than two million streams during the group stages. And across social media, BBC Sport has generated 889m video views during the tournament so far.

The Mexico match will be the Three Lions’ first overnight game of the tournament for UK viewers.

It presents an issue for England’s young fans, with parents debating how best to follow the game on what will be a school night for many children.

Thomas Tuchel was asked about the dilemma after England’s win, with the head coach responding: “Write an excuse for school and let them watch.

“There’s so much school to go to, but the World Cup is every four years. Let them watch.

“There will be a big match in four days, and we need the support of everyone, especially the children.”

Given that he has started the past seven Ireland games for which he has been available, Jamie Osborne’s inclusion in Andy Farrell’s latest line-up is no great surprise.

But the position he has been asked to fill against Australia in Sydney on Saturday will raise a few eyebrows.

Osborne, 24, has excelled at full-back for Ireland, most recently in this year’s Six Nations when he scored four tries in five games while deputising for the injured Hugo Keenan.

The majority of his work with Leinster this season has been done at centre, but with fit-again Keenan reinstalled at 15 and the Stuart McCloskey-Garry Ringrose midfield axis maintained, Farrell has shifted Osborne to the left wing.

The number 11 shirt, of course, was up for grabs following James Lowe’s departure from Irish rugby and Tommy O’Brien’s injury – and Farrell was not short of options.

Jacob Stockdale has spent much of his career patrolling the left wing. Jimmy O’Brien and Zac Ward can also play there.

But it’s Osborne who gets the nod. A versatile and intelligent player, the Kildare native is defensively solid, has a huge left boot and has try-scoring credentials at this level.

He does not possess Rob Baloucoune’s blistering pace. Neither did his predecessor, but Lowe’s muscular running style helped him break clear of defenders.

After such a productive Six Nations campaign, perhaps Farrell just wants Osborne in his line-up, but it will be interesting to see how he fares against Australia’s Max Jorgensen on Saturday.