The USMNT are into the World Cup round of 16, yet Mauricio Pochettino spent his night talking about a red card rather than a result.
Folarin Balogun scored the goal that beat Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday, then was sent off after the hour for a challenge on Tarik Muharemovic. The United States held on to win 2-0 and reach the last 16 as hosts.
Pochettino was in no mood to accept the decision. He called it an accident, insisted there was never any intent, and made clear he believes his striker was wronged on a night where his team kept finding themselves on the wrong side of the referee’s whistle.
The USA have reached the round of 16 but will be without talisman Folarin Balogun after his red card. Who steps up in his absence? 🤷♂️
Balogun is the USA's top scorer with three goals ⚽⚽⚽
Mauricio Pochettino leaves no doubt over Folarin Balogun red card
Balogun had put the U.S. in front on the stroke of halftime, only to be shown a straight red just after the hour. Referee Raphael Claus reviewed the incident on the pitchside monitor and ruled that the forward had raked his studs down Muharemovic’s ankle.
The call split opinion instantly. Balogun looked stunned as he trudged off, and the reaction back home leaned firmly in his favor — former U.S. international Alexi Lalas flagged a similar Lionel Messi incident from the group stage that went unpunished, questioning why one escaped and the other did not.
Per The Athletic, Pochettino left no room for interpretation on the sending-off.
He said: “For me? Never a red card. Never an intention to step on the player. It was a normal action in football that happened by accident.
“He’s very disappointed.”
Pochettino expanded on Balogun’s mood and what comes next.
He said: “It was an action that wasn’t intention, he’s sad. We cannot do anything to change this feeling. This is soccer, this is football. For sure he’s going to help us to perform and hopefully we can go to the next round so he can be available again.”
His frustration was not limited to the one call. Pochettino feels the fine margins have gone against his side all night.
He concluded: “Today, you know 50/50 decisions? Not one goes for us. The players reacted very well, we controlled the emotional part of the game.”
USMNT can still make a statement without Folarin Balogun
The suspension is confirmed. A straight red at a World Cup carries an automatic one-game ban, so Pochettino will be without his top scorer against Belgium in the last 16.
That is not the disaster it might look. Balogun’s three goals will be missed, but Belgium have looked short of their best all tournament and needed a late, contested penalty to see off Senegal and reach this stage.
The hosts have reason to believe. Wednesday’s win ended a 10-game losing run against European opposition — their first World Cup victory over a European side since beating Portugal in 2002.
This U.S. team is competitive, well organized and playing at home. If they carry the newfound belief through this Belgium tie, there is no reason they cannot trouble some of Europe’s biggest names on the way to the final. That has to be the aim.
READ MORE:
Alexi Lalas makes Lionel Messi point in response to Folarin Balogun’s red card for USMNT
How many games will Folarin Balogun miss after red card? World Cup suspension rules explained
Folarin Balogun joins Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldinho’s company after USMNT star receives red card
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