Bosnia and Herzegovina captain Edin Džeko etched his name in: FIFA World Cup history though his side faced an uphill battle against the United States in their Round of 32 clash, becoming the oldest outfield player ever to start a men’s World Cup knockout match.At 40 years and 106 days, the veteran striker surpassed every previous outfield player to take part in the knockout rounds, becoming the first outfield player aged 40 or over to appear in a World Cup knockout fixture.However, the milestone would prove to be one of the most short-lived in the tournament’s history. If: Luka Modric (40 years, 296 days) start in Croatia or: Cristiano Ronaldo (41 years, 147 days) named in Portugal’s starting XI for their respective Round of 32 games in Vancouver, any veteran will surpass Džeko’s record in less than 24 hours.The historic night, however, changed early in the second half.Five minutes after kick-off, Bosnia gave the ball up for a moment after Džeko went down clutching his leg following a non-contact injury. The inspiring captain was unable to continue and was replaced, bringing an inauspicious end to his signature appearance.The United States took a 1-0 lead thanks to Folarin Balogun’s strike in first-half stoppage time. The forward reacted swiftly to a loose ball inside the penalty area to score his third goal of the tournament and give the hosts a vital advantage heading into the closing stages.The contest took another dramatic twist, with Balogun shown a straight red card following a VAR review, reducing the United States to 10 men for the final half hour of regulation time. The dismissal gave Bosnia fresh hope as they pushed for an equalizer against a side now focused on protecting its slender lead.Regardless of the final result, Džeko’s appearance has already secured his place in the World Cup record books – although the achievement could be surpassed within a day if Modric or Ronaldo start for their countries.