USA say they are ready for surprises from Bosnia and Herzegovina

• Tim Ream not feeling additional pressure for knockouts

• USA play Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday

It’s easy to assume that the onset of the World Cup knockout rounds brings immediate tension. These are the games where legacies are crystalized in a zero-sum manner – every heroic turn paired with a Baggio-like blemish. Then again, the round of 32 is new. The field doesn’t truly feel like it’s been narrowed down yet.

So maybe the ho-hum start of the tournament had brought the temperature down as Tim Ream fielded questions from the press on Monday, hours before boarding a plane to the Bay Area and ending the team’s lengthy stay here in southern California. The knockout round journey is about to begin.

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