Bosnia beat Qatar, likely to face U.S. in knockout...

SEATTLE -- Bosnia-Herzegovina eliminated Qatar and boosted their chances of advancing at the World Cup with a 3-1 victory in a Group B match on Wednesday.

>With the victory, third-place Bosnia-Herzegovina are more than likely to advance to the round of 32 in the expanded field -- and their likely opponent would be one of the tournaments co-hosts in the United States.

>The eight best third-place finishers across the 12 groups advance.

>Should Bosnia-Herzegovina advance to the knockout round, it would mark the first time in their national team history after only playing in one other World Cup in 2014 in Brazil.

>Kerim Alajbegovic scored in the 29th minute to give Bosnia-Herzegovina, whose only other World Cup appearance came in Brazil in 2014, a lead it would never relinquish. The 18-year-old Alajbegovic became the eighth-youngest scorer in World Cup history -- and youngest-ever for his country -- when he powered a shot past Qatar goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada at the near post from 20 yards away.

>Bosnia-Herzegovina tacked on a second goal in the 34th minute when Sead Kolasinac launched a cross to the back post. A volley to the middle by Edin Dzeko deflected off Qatar's Sultan Al-Brake for an own goal.

>Hassan Al Haydos kept Qatar, who did not win a game in the tournament, competitive with a goal in the 42nd minute.

>But in the second half, Bosnia-Herzegovina once again went up by two goals when Ermin Mahmic, who scored in a 4-1 loss to Switzerland, tallied another in the 80th minute.

>Earlier on Wednesday, Qatar's Assim Madibo was given a five-match ban on for the tackle that broke the leg of Canada midfielder Ismaël Koné in their matchup on June 18.

>Canada lost to Switzerland in the other Group A matchup Wednesday, meaning the co-hosts finish second in the standings and will have to travel to the U.S. for their round of 32 game.

>Information from The Associated Press was used in this recap.