SEATTLE — Folarin Balogun will serve no additional games on his one-game suspension for his red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina, U.S. Soccer announced Friday, July 3.
Balogun will be suspended for Monday’s Round of 16 game against Belgium, but if the U.S. defeats the Red Devils, he will be eligible to play in the quarterfinals against either Spain or Portugal.
Balogun received a red card in the 64th minute of the USMNT’s 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday, July 1st.
It was an eventful match for Balogun. After scoring the opening goal just before half-time, his night ended prematurely when he stepped on Tarik Muharemovic’s ankle. The challenge was initially not penalized, but following a VAR review, referee Rafael Kraus issued a red card.
FIFA’s disciplinary committee will review all red cards and decide whether an automatic one-match suspension is sufficient. If the violation is serious enough, the committee may add an additional match to the suspension or impose a fine.
The committee determined that a one-game suspension was appropriate for Balogun.
The United States had no option to appeal Balogun’s red card unless FIFA decided on an additional match for the suspension.
This means that regardless of the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, Balogun has already missed the Round of 16 match against Belgium.
The striker will now have to hope that his teammates will shoulder the burden in his absence and give him a chance to play in the quarter-finals.
Balogun is the USMNT’s leading scorer at this World Cup, with three goals so far.
