Balogun ejected after red card
Balogun ejected after red card
Balogun ejected after red card
The United States Men's National Team suffered a significant blow during their World Cup match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, as Folarin Balogun was issued a red card after a VAR review. The incident occurred in the second half of the game, when Balogun attempted to play a ball and stepped on the ankle of Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic while he was falling toward the ground.
The contact was reviewed by Brazilian referee Raphael Claus, who ultimately ruled that it was worth a red card. This decision meant that Balogun was ejected from the match, and the US team had to finish the game with 10 players. Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the other hand, continued to play with 11 players.
According to the rules, a player who receives a red card is not only ejected from the current match but also misses the team's next game. In this case, Balogun will be out for the USMNT's next match against Belgium on Monday in Seattle. This is a difficult blow for the US team, as Balogun has been one of their best players, scoring five goals in his past six competitive matches, including the opening goal in the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The red card decision has been widely criticized, with many arguing that it was an overly harsh punishment. Andy Davies, a former Select Group referee, stated that the protocols were misapplied, and that the contact between Balogun and Muharemovic was "purely accidental" and did not warrant a red card. Davies noted that the VAR review used slow-motion and still replays, which is not aligned with VAR protocols, and that the referee's decision was likely influenced by the pictures presented by VAR.
Thierry Henry, a French legend and Fox Soccer pundit, also weighed in on the decision, saying that Balogun "never went to hurt nobody" and that the contact was an unfortunate result of two players challenging for the ball.
Despite the setback, the US team managed to win the match 2-0 and advance to the round of 16. However, they will have to face Belgium without Balogun, which will be a significant challenge.
Balogun's red card has also made him the fourth player in World Cup history to score a goal and receive a red card in a knockout fixture, joining the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldinho, and Garrincha.
