United States forward Folarin Balogun said Sunday that the intensity of the World Cup is ramping up with the knockout stage underway.
The U.S. finished atop Group D and will play Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday in Santa Clara, California, with a spot in the round of 16 on the line.
"I can feel the difference in just the atmosphere," Balogun told reporters, according to ESPN's Jeff Carlisle. "It's knockout football, so you lose, you go home.
"So for me, there's a change in my mindset and mentality as well. Not that I wasn't taking it seriously before, but you can just go into another gear because you want it more. I don't want the journey to end."
The U.S. is seeking its second-ever World Cup win in the knockout stage and first since it beat Mexico in 2002.
Balogun has scored two goals in this year's World Cup, both coming in a 4-1 win over Paraguay to kick off the tournament. The 24-year-old New York native also forced an own goal against Australia.
Balogun said he expects the U.S. to deliver an impressive performance Wednesday.
"It's crunch time. ... This is the stage where, in my opinion, the big players step forward, and the big players carry the pressure and make things happen," Balogun said.
