The U.S. males’s nationwide group secured a spot within the 2026 World Cup spherical of 16 after a shutout victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday, however the People will take the pitch towards Belgium with out one of many group’s key purpose scorers, Folarin Balogun.
Within the sixty fourth minute of the match at San Francisco Bay Space Stadium, the striker, who scored the primary purpose within the forty fifth minute, clashed with Bosnia’s Tarik Muharemovic and was proven a pink card for a play that was initially not known as a foul.
Folarin Balogun of the U.S. fouls Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Tarik Muharemovic earlier than being proven a pink card throughout their FIFA World Cup 2026 Spherical of 32 match July 1, 2026 in Santa Clara, Calif.
Pedro Nunes/Reuters
The contact had prompted the video assistant referee (VAR) to suggest an on-field evaluation and ultimately Balogun was issued a pink card for severe foul play and robotically suspended for one sport.
FIFA confirmed to ABC Information that the decision by the referee on the sector is ultimate and never capable of be overturned or appealed.
Because the opponents made contact going for the ball, Balogun’s cleat went down the leg of Bosnia’s defender and onto his foot.
The VAR “believed Balogun was harmful in his play and really helpful the referee go to the pitchside monitor to evaluation,” ESPN reported.
Referee Raphael Claus reveals Folarin Balogun of the US a pink card for a foul on Tarik Muharemovic of Bosnia and Herzegovina throughout their FIFA World Cup 2026 Spherical of 32 match July 1, 2026 in Santa Clara, Calif.
Maja Hitij/Fifa by way of Getty Photographs
The group then needed to play with simply 10 males following the penalty for the remaining 36 minutes of regulation and 10 of stoppage time. Regardless of being down a participant, the U.S. doubled their result in win 2-0.
Longtime referee Andy Davies, who has operated utilizing VAR within the Premier League, instructed ESPN “Balogun can really feel unlucky to be pink carded on this scenario as, in my view, this was not a pink card offense.”
Davies mentioned that though it appeared unhealthy in sluggish movement, the motion “was purely unintentional and an unlucky outcome from two gamers difficult for possession of the ball in a standard soccer motion.”
USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino told reporters after the match that Balogun was “unhappy” and “disenchanted” within the locker room, based on ESPN.
Folarin Balogun of the U.S. is consoled by Giovanni Reyna and Timothy Weah after receiving a pink card towards Bosnia and Herzegovina throughout their FIFA World Cup 2026 Spherical of 32 match July 1, 2026 in Santa Clara, Calif.
Carlos Barria/Reuters
“For me, by no means is it a pink card — By no means was there intention to step on the participant,” Pochettino mentioned. “If the intention is to break the opponent, OK, I perceive. However that was a standard motion in soccer that you’re, you realize, combating for the ball and your ft land, no?”
Based on the FIFA World Cup 26 regulations, “If a participant or group official is shipped off on account of a direct or oblique pink card (second warning), they’ll robotically be suspended from their group’s subsequent match.”
Not like membership soccer similar to within the English Premier League or UEFA Champions League, a pink card choice made within the World Cup can’t be overturned on enchantment by a group.
U.S. Soccer instructed ABC Information “there isn’t a mechanism for enchantment.”
United States’ Folarin Balogun walks off the sector after receiving a pink card throughout their FIFA World Cup 2026 spherical of 32 soccer match in Santa Clara, Calif., July 1, 2026.
Jeff Chiu/AP Picture
Based on ESPN, Pochettino was knowledgeable the U.S. wouldn’t be capable to enchantment the choice and a spokesperson for U.S. Soccer mentioned if the ban is a couple of sport, it will enchantment the suspension.
Teammate and midfielder Weston McKennie instructed reporters after the match that “on this stage of the event the place each participant is essential, I believe it is a bit bogus.”
Balogun’s first half purpose marked his team-high third of the event and eleventh total.
The U.S. will face Belgium on July 6 in Seattle marking the fourth look within the Spherical of 16 of their final 4 World Cup appearances.
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