USMNT’s Folarin Balogun handed controversial red card with massive World Cup repercussions
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SANTA CLARA, Calif. — For more than an hour Wednesday night at Levi’s Stadium, Folarin Balogun was putting on the kind of performance that changes how a nation views a striker.
Every dangerous American attack seemed to begin or end with him.
He thought he had opened the scoring early, only to glance over and see the assistant referee’s flag raised for offside. Minutes later, he believed he had earned a penalty after being clipped inside the box, but play continued. None of it rattled him.
His breakthrough finally arrived just before halftime when he buried the opening goal against Bosnia and Herzegovina, then celebrated with LeBron James’ iconic “Silencer” gesture. The celebration quickly made its way across social media, where James responded with his approval.
“LFG!!!!!! THE Silencer HAS arrived at the World Cup! Helluva goal there Young King.! Salute. GO USA!” James posted in a combination of words and emojis.
Balogun nearly added another after the break, only to watch a thunderous strike rattle the crossbar. Every touch carried purpose. Every run stretched Bosnia’s back line. On a night when knockout matches demanded stars, USA’s striker shined the brightest.
In the 61st minute, Balogun was shown a straight red card after VAR review determined he had stepped on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic during a challenge.
“For me, it was never a red card,” USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino said. “There was never any intention. That was a normal action in football. It happened by accident.”
Live, the play looked more awkward than malicious, the type of collision that happens dozens of times over the course of a match. Slow motion told a different story, and the referee upgraded the decision to serious foul play with no option to appeal, making Balogun the first player to score a goal and receive a red card in a World Cup elimination game since France’s Zinedine Zidane in the final against Italy in 2006.
“Balo is an important part of our team and it’s a disappointing way for him to miss the next match,” said forward Haji Wright, who watched the play happen in front of him from the bench. “We told him referees don’t always make the right decision. I was disappointed. We all saw it live and to us it didn’t look like a red card. The stills and pictures of it made it look worse.”
Instead of riding the shoulders of their most dangerous attacker, the Americans were forced to survive the final half hour with 10 men while Bosnia threw numbers forward searching for an equalizer.
The United States ultimately escaped with a 2-0 victory, but the cost may not be known until the Round of 16.
Balogun’s suspension means Pochettino will be without his leading striker against Belgium in Seattle. Against one of the world’s elite teams, replacing his movement, finishing ability and relentless pressure may prove impossible.
“When one man goes down, the next man steps up,” said defender Chris Richards. “We’re more than just one player or more than just 11 players. We’re going to miss him, but we’ve got his back.”
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Wednesday was the ultimate World Cup roller coaster. Balogun spent 64 breathtaking minutes looking like the player capable of carrying the United States on a memorable run. He spent the final 30 watching helplessly from the tunnel, his tournament suddenly suspended by one split-second decision that could echo far beyond the Round of 32.