Bosnian Edin Dzeko (11 years old) reacts during the World Cup Round of 32 match against the United States. (AP photo)
Bosnia and Herzegovina captain Edin Dzeko etched his name in FIFA World Cup history despite his team facing an uphill battle against the United States in their round of 32 match, becoming the oldest player ever to start a men’s World Cup knockout match.At the age of 40 years and 106 days, the veteran striker surpassed every previous player on the field to have played in the knockout stages, becoming the first player on the field aged 40 or over to appear in a World Cup knockout match.However, this may be one of the shortest-lived achievements in the tournament’s history. If Luka Modric (40 years, 296 days) starts for Croatia or Cristiano Ronaldo (41 years, 147 days) is named in Portugal’s starting lineup for their respective Round of 32 matches in Vancouver, either veteran will better Dzeko’s all-time record less than 24 hours later.
But the historic evening took a painful turn at the beginning of the second half.Five minutes into the second half, Bosnia briefly took the ball out of play after Dzeko went down clutching his leg after what appeared to be a non-contact injury. The inspiring leader was unable to continue and was replaced, bringing an unfortunate end to his historic appearance.The United States took a 1-0 lead thanks to Folarin Balogun’s goal in first-half stoppage time.
The striker reacted quickest to a loose ball inside the penalty area to score his third goal of the tournament and give the hosts a decisive advantage heading into the final stages.The match has since seen another dramatic development, with Balogun receiving a straight red card after a VAR review, reducing the USA to 10 men in the final half-hour of regular time. The expulsion brought hope back to Bosnia as it sought to achieve a draw against a team now focused on protecting its slim lead.Regardless of the final result, Dzeko’s emergence has already secured his place in the World Cup record books – even if the feat could be surpassed within a day should either Modric or Ronaldo start for their respective national teams.