Referee Rafael Klaus showed a red card to United States player Folarin Balogun, during the World Cup Round of 32 match. (AP photo)
The United States booked their place in the round of 16 for the 2026 World Cup with a hard-fought 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, but the celebrations were punctuated by a major setback as star striker Folarin Balogun was sent off during the second half.The red card means Mauricio Pochettino’s side are now without one of their most influential strikers for the knockout match against Belgium on July 6 – barring a successful appeal to have the suspension overturned.
Balogun was sent off after a VAR review
Balogun gave the United States the lead before halftime with his third goal of the tournament before his night took a dramatic turn in the 64th minute.The striker challenged Bosnia’s defender Tarik Muhremovic for the ball and accidentally stepped on his opponent’s ankle.
Referee Rafael Klaus initially allowed play to continue before reviewing the incident on the pitch-side monitor. After a VAR check, Klaus upgraded the decision to a straight red card.The expulsion forced the US team to play the remainder of the match with ten players, although Malik Tillman later achieved a famous 2-0 victory with a stunning free kick.It was Balogun’s third goal of the tournament, equaling Landon Donovan’s tally in the 2010 World Cup, and leaving him just one goal short of Bert Patenaude’s record set by an American of four men’s World Cup goals in a single match, set in 1930.
Will Balogun play against Belgium?
Under FIFA disciplinary regulations, a player who receives a straight red card will be suspended for his team’s next match. As it stands, that means Balogun will miss the USA’s Round of 16 meeting with Belgium.However, there is still a small possibility that the attacker will be able to participate.After the match, the US Soccer Federation can file an appeal with the FIFA Disciplinary Committee seeking to overturn the suspension.
If FIFA decides that the sending off was invalid or orders a reconsideration, the automatic one-match ban can be overturned.If the appeal fails, Balogun will watch from the sidelines as the United States seeks its third-ever World Cup knockout win.The striker was one of the most prominent players in the tournament before his dismissal. As well as scoring, another attempt was disallowed for offside and he repeatedly troubled the Bosnian defense with his movement.Balogun also paid tribute to NBA legend LeBron James by celebrating with the famous “silencer” gesture after scoring. James later admitted to celebrating on social media.The red card was only the fifth for an American player at a men’s World Cup, adding another dramatic chapter to an eventful night that ultimately ended with the Americans advancing to the round of 16 despite playing more than 25 minutes with one man.