The United States Men’s National Team is preparing for one of its biggest matches in recent history as it gets set to face Belgium in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16. Mauricio Pochettino’s side reached the knockout stage after a composed 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, overcoming the challenge of playing with 10 men for more than half an hour after Folarin Balogun’s controversial dismissal.
The Americans have already matched expectations on home soil, but advancing past Belgium would equal their deepest World Cup run of the modern era.
The buildup to Monday’s clash, however, was dominated by debates about Balogun’s red card. The striker was initially sent off following a VAR review after catching Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic on the ankle while challenging for the ball.
REUTERS/Carlos Barria
FIFA later confirmed there was no avenue for the United States to appeal the automatic one-match suspension, prompting widespread criticism from fans, pundits and former referees who argued the contact was accidental and only warranted a yellow card.
In a dramatic reversal on Sunday, though, FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee suspended the punishment under Article 27 of its disciplinary code, making Balogun immediately eligible to face Belgium after placing him on a one-year probationary period.
Christian Pulisic admitted the squad was caught completely off guard by the decision. Speaking on Sunday, the U.S. captain revealed he only learned Balogun had been cleared to play while the team was on the bus to training, adding that his teammate was “so happy” after receiving the unexpected news (h/t Ben Jacobs of TalkSports).
Balogun’s availability is massive news for the United States. The Monaco forward has been one of the team’s standout performers throughout the tournament, scoring three goals in four appearances, including the opening goal against Bosnia before his controversial red card. His return gives the USMNT its full-strength frontline for one of the toughest tests of the tournament.
With Balogun back alongside Pulisic, Timothy Weah and Malik Tillman, the Americans will believe they have the firepower needed to challenge one of Europe’s traditional heavyweights for a place in the World Cup quarterfinals.
