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USA's Folarin Balogun Avoids Multi-Game Suspension; Won't Play vs. Belgium
FOX Sports • • general
Key Points:
- U.S. striker Folarin Balogun received a red card in the win over Bosnia and Herzegovina and will miss the World Cup round of 16 match against Belgium due to the automatic one-match suspension rule.
- Balogun, the tournament's leading scorer for the U.S. with three goals in four games, was sent off for stepping on an opponent's ankle, making him the first player since Zinedine Zidane in 2006 to score and be red-carded in a World Cup knockout match.
- The U.S. has no option to appeal the standard one-match suspension, but Balogun will be eligible to return if the U.S. advances to the quarterfinals, where they would face the winner of Spain vs. Portugal.
- Coach Mauricio Pochettino is expected to replace Balogun with either Ricardo Pepi or Haji Wright, or possibly adjust the formation to use Christian Pulisic as a false No. 9 to maintain attacking strength.
