Folarin Balogun red card leaves USA with a ban they cannot appeal

Mauricio Pochettino did not hide his view after Folarin Balogun's dismissal in USA vs Bosnia & Herzegovina. “For me it's never a red card,” he said, after the forward was sent off in the 64th minute at Levi's Stadium. The bigger problem for USA is simple: FIFA rules cited in the reporting say a direct red card brings an automatic suspension from the team's next match.

Pochettino's appeal complaint

Pochettino went further than just defending his striker. “It should be possible to appeal the red card,” he said, which is the point he keeps returning to because the punishment is already fixed for Belgium on Monday night. Andy Davies also backed that view, saying Balogun “can feel unfortunate to be red carded in this situation” and that, in his opinion, it was not a red card offence.

The other side of the argument is still the one that counts in practice. The referee's final decision stood after the VAR review, and the USA cannot change the ban. Balogun's red card came after he had scored the opener on 45 minutes, so the night still ended with a 2-0 win and a place in the World Cup Round of 16.

The impact on Belgium

The loss is bigger than the noise around the decision. Balogun is the USA's top scorer at this summer's tournament with three goals in three appearances, and he now misses the last-16 tie against Belgium. Malik Tillman added the second goal in the 82nd minute to finish off Bosnia & Herzegovina, but the result does not soften the blow of losing the most reliable finisher in the squad.

Christian Pulišić summed up the mood inside the camp: “Just so unfortunate, honestly. Looking back at it, it seems so harsh for us to get that for him.” Weston McKennie was just as direct, calling the decision “a bit bogus” in a knockout-stage match.

The debate over the challenge will keep running, but the competition reality is already set. The USA go into Belgium without Balogun, and the red card will not be overturned.