Thousands of fans marched to the stadium before the game along the waterfront on the West Coast, creating a European-esque atmosphere, with plenty of the country's diaspora making the trip too.
It helped Bosnia pick up their first win at this World Cup, and sees them finish third in Group B on four points. They now face an anxious wait over the next few days to see whether their points tally, as well as their goal difference, is enough to see them through to the knockout rounds.
For Vasilj, it was a 'pinch-me' moment seeing the sheer amount of fans at the end of the game, nearly doubling the total normally seen at their national stadium.
Speaking in the mixed zone after the game to Flashscore and other reporters, he remarked: "This stadium is obviously not like the one in Sarajevo, but it was really amazing. After the game, I stopped for a moment to see, to be aware for one moment of the atmosphere in the stadium.
"The first game was against Canada, the home team, and still we had so many of our fans, but these last two games, I was really amazed and surprised how many of our people came, which is really amazing, and it feels just like a home game."
Bosnia were one of the last teams to qualify for this World Cup, beating Italy on penalties at the end of March to seal their spot at the finals - just the second time in their history that they have made it this far following a group stage exit in 2014.
Vasilj added: "It's a historical moment for us to go into the next stage. It never happened before, so I think we made history, and for us, it was just about the result today...
"The game wasn't the best, probably, but it's good that this team is still able to win these games, which are not easy to win, so I am really proud. It's a big moment for all of us, for our country, for our people, and let's see what comes next."
One player who knows the feeling of disappointment from 12 years ago is Edin Dzeko. At 40 years of age, his World Cup swansong is likely to continue after he picked up his 150th cap against Qatar.
The former Manchester City striker is just one of two players left from the 2014 World Cup, along with Saed Kolasinac, and Vasilj was excited to see his captain's adventure go on a bit longer.
Speaking about Dzeko, he said: "After the game, I've seen many players and I just had a quick chat with him, but it's crazy. It's amazing, his work ethic, and the belief he has in this team. I am really happy for him, at his age, that he is able to celebrate this big win for us."