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The United States men's nationalist squad earned arguably its biggest triumph successful caller history, but it came astatine quite a cost.
In nan midst of its 2-0 triumph complete Bosnia and Herzegovina connected Wednesday night, Folarin Balogun, nan team's starring extremity scorer successful this World Cup, who recovered nan backmost of nan nett successful nan first half, was handed a arguable reddish card.
In going for a loose ball, Balogun and an force sewage incidentally tangled up to nan constituent wherever Balogun stepped connected nan opponent's ankle, causing it to rotation awkwardly. The video adjunct referee (VAR) ordered nan play to beryllium looked at, and Balogun's transgressions were deemed "serious" capable for nan reddish card.
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Folarin Balogun of United States of America walks disconnected nan section aft receiving a reddish paper during nan FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 lucifer betwixt United States of America and Bosnia and Herzegovina connected July 1, 2026 astatine San Francisco Bay Area Stadium successful Santa Clara, California (Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The reddish paper meant that not only was Balogun ejected from nan crippled and nan USA was forced to play nan remainder of nan lucifer pinch 10 people, but Balogun will besides miss nan team's Round of 16 lucifer against Belgium connected Monday.
Almost immediately, nan outcry complete nan reddish paper was extreme, and fans were hoping for immoderate benignant of appeal process to return place, but it does not exist.
Article 9.6 of nan 2026 World Cup regulations reads, "No protests whitethorn beryllium made astir nan referee’s decisions regarding facts connected pinch play. Such decisions are last and not taxable to appeal, unless different stipulated successful nan FIFA Disciplinary Code."
"If a subordinate aliases squad charismatic is sent disconnected arsenic a consequence of a nonstop aliases indirect reddish paper (second caution), they will automatically beryllium suspended from their team’s consequent match," Article 10.5 states.
In fact, punishments tin only increase. For example, Qatar midfielder Assim Madibo was suspended for 5 games aft breaking nan limb of Canada's Ismaël Koné. While it's improbable successful Balogun's case, it really isn't disconnected nan table.
Folarin Balogun of United States is shown a reddish paper by Referee Raphael Claus during nan FIFA World Cup 2026 Round Of 32 lucifer betwixt USA and Bosnia and Herzegovina astatine San Francisco Bay Area Stadium connected July 1, 2026 successful Santa Clara, California. (Getty Images)
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There are galore different opinions retired location arsenic to whether VAR was applied to nan business properly, but unluckily for nan United States, it tin simply beryllium utilized to find whether a reddish paper should beryllium fixed out. And ultimately, aft looking astatine nan footage, nan determination is up to nan caput referee, though nan referee tin person input from nan video adjunct referee and/or different officials.
The International Football Association Board states that slow-motion replay should mostly beryllium avoided successful VAR, but it could beryllium utilized to find "facts, e.g. position of offence/player, constituent of interaction for beingness offences and handball, shot retired of play (including goal/no goal); normal velocity should beryllium utilized for nan ‘intensity’ of an offence aliases to determine if it was a handball offence." So, this incident whitethorn autumn nether nan "physical offences" information of that bylaw.
And ultimately, according to nan IFAB, "Any subordinate who lunges astatine an force successful challenging for nan shot from nan front, from nan broadside aliases from down utilizing 1 aliases some legs, pinch excessive unit aliases endangers nan information of an force is blameworthy of superior foul play."
So, contempt it not looking for illustration Balogun had immoderate sick intent, it is nan unfortunate, unlucky manus nan USMNT has been dealt. The United States will person nary prime but to find a replacement for personification who has astir apt been successful its champion subordinate successful what is now possibly nan astir important crippled successful United States shot history.
United States' Folarin Balogun (20) and United States' Christian Pulisic (10) guidelines by aft Balogun received a reddish paper during nan World Cup information of 32 shot lucifer betwixt nan United States and Bosnia successful Santa Clara, Calif., adjacent San Francisco, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
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The United States is favored ever truthful somewhat to conclusion Belgium connected Monday nighttime successful Seattle, but nan likelihood undoubtedly person taken a hit.
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