USMNT expects Folarin Balogun back for World Cup quarterfinal, if they advance
FIFA has confirmed Folarin Balogun will not face additional suspension beyond the automatic one-game ban following his red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Author: Bryan Berlin
The USMNT is set to have Folarin Balogun available for a potential World Cup quarterfinal, provided the team advances past the round of 16. A U.S. Soccer spokesperson confirmed that FIFA has informed the federation that no additional games will be added to the forward's punishment following his red card in the 2-0 round-of-32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The 24-year-old was dismissed in the 64th minute after a VAR review showed a challenge on defender Tarik Muharemovic. While referee Raphael Claus did not initially issue a red card, the review led to an ejection for a "serious foul."
Speaking to reporters, Balogun expressed "extreme surprise" at the decision, maintaining that he believed a yellow card would have been the appropriate punishment. He emphasized that the incident was unintentional, explaining that he had nowhere else to place his leg during the challenge.
It’s important for me to say, first and foremost, it was totally unintentional. The choice of the referee was his choice. I don’t think it was the correct choice. I think a yellow card would’ve been fair, due to it not being intentional. Folarin Balogun
Despite his disappointment, Balogun shook hands with the match officials after the game, stating that he wanted to set a positive example for viewers. He noted that even when one feels a decision is unjust, it is not an excuse to deviate from the right path.
Balogun will serve his automatic one-game suspension during the upcoming match against Belgium in Seattle. He stated that his focus for the next few days will be on supporting his teammates and maintaining team morale to ensure the squad remains competitive.