Loyalties split in St. Louis as US takes on Bosnia-Herzegovina in World Cup knockout round 

The St. Louis metro area is home to the largest Bosnian community outside Bosnia-Herzegovina, setting the stage for large crowds watching Wednesday’s World Cup match between the United States and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The United States is favored, but the Americans have won only one knockout-round match in World Cup history. This is the first time Bosnia-Herzegovina has advanced to the knockout stage.

Bosnian immigrants began arriving in St. Louis in the 1990s to escape war. The community has long been regarded as a success story of immigrant integration since the first refugees arrived during the Bosnian War in the mid-to-late 1990s.

The population of the Bevo Mill neighborhood, locally known as “Little Bosnia,” grew by about 5% between 1990 and 2000, while the city’s overall population declined by about 12.2% during the same period.

Estimates of the area’s Bosnian population vary, ranging from about 40,000 to 70,000.

Elvir Kafedzic, an assistant coach for St. Louis City SC, was born in Bosnia-Herzegovina and arrived in St. Louis in 1999. He said the passion for soccer runs deep.

“For me, this goes beyond soccer,” Kafedzic told The Associated Press. “This shows who we are, the pride, where we come from and how deeply we’re connected to our roots.”

The game is at 7 p.m. Central time in Santa Clara, California.