Folarin Balogun will miss the USMNT's World Cup last-16 match against Belgium on Monday after receiving a straight red card in the 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Monaco forward scored the opening goal in the first half but was dismissed in the 68th minute for a challenge on Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemović.
Balogun's Goal and Red Card
Balogun, who turns 25 on Friday, scored his third goal of the tournament by pouncing on a deflected ball at the edge of the area and calmly finishing. He celebrated in the style of LeBron James, prompting a response from the NBA star. However, about 20 minutes later, he was sent off for inadvertent contact with Muharemović's ankle and calf. Referee Raphael Claus reviewed the incident via VAR and deemed it violent conduct.
US head coach Mauricio Pochettino strongly disagreed with the decision. "For me it is never a red card," Pochettino said in his post-match press conference. "Watching after on TV, it was never the intention to step on the player. That is a normal action in football that happened by accident and was never intentional."
Impact on USMNT's World Cup Campaign
The US won their first knockout-stage game in 24 years, with midfielder Malik Tillman sealing the victory with a perfectly placed free-kick late in the second half. However, Balogun's suspension cannot be appealed, per US Soccer. He becomes the fifth US player to receive a World Cup red card, and the first in two decades.
Pochettino must now decide how to replace Balogun against an organized and experienced Belgian side. Options include PSV Eindhoven forward Ricardo Pepi, who replaced Balogun for just two minutes on Wednesday, or Coventry City's Haji Wright. "We will have different options," Pochettino said. "We'll have to see which one we take."
Reactions to the Red Card
US midfielder Tyler Adams said a yellow card would have been more appropriate. "You're asking the wrong person with how I tackle," Adams said, laughing. "I mean, I think it's a yellow card. I think when you slow everything down, it is always going to look worse."
Former English Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg, analyzing the match on Fox, suggested the play should never have gone to VAR. "When you watch it in real time, you don't see the ankle twist," Clattenburg said. "It's just that accident, as Balogun puts his foot down, he catches underneath his opponent's foot. This is just an accident."
Balogun's Background and Significance
Balogun was born in Brooklyn to Nigerian parents and raised in London. He chose to represent the US after being courted by England and Nigeria. His birth in the US was due to his mother being barred from flying home while pregnant. The day after the US Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship, Balogun pushed the US through to the last 16.
Balogun was visibly distraught after the red card, kicking a wall as he headed down the tunnel. "He is disappointed, very disappointed," Pochettino said. "Because it wasn't intentional and he's said. He is also happy because we qualified – but disappointed and sad because it was not his intention."
