SEATTLE — U.S. players were on the team bus traveling to their training grounds Sunday morning, listening to music, talking among themselves and thinking ahead to Monday’s World Cup Round of 16 game against Belgium, when social media began sounding the alarm.
Folarin Balogun, the team’s leading scorer and suspended striker, had been allowed to play.
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“A lot of us thought it was AI at first,” defender Chris Richards said. “We weren’t sure if it was true or not.”
It was true. In a stunning reversal, FIFA’s disciplinary committee announced it had rescinded the automatic one-game ban for a controversial red card Balogun had received against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday.
Instead of sitting out Monday, he was placed on probation for one year. An “infringement of a similar nature and gravity” during that period would result in a suspension. FIFA didn’t comment further.
The U.S. Soccer Federation was “engaged in the process with the disciplinary committee,” a source familiar with the situation said, without going into detail.
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In a statement, the USSF said, “We accept the decision of the disciplinary committee and are pleased that Folarin Balogun is eligible to compete tomorrow.”
Folarin Balogun went from suspended spectator to available striker in one of the World Cup’s most surprising reversals.
(AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Belgium, however, strongly objected to the ruling.
In a statement, the Royal Belgian Football Association said it was “astonished” by FIFA’s decision and argued the governing body had contradicted its own disciplinary code and World Cup regulations, both of which state that a player sent off automatically serves a one-match suspension. The federation said it was “investigating all potential options” to protect “the fundamental principles of fair play.”
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Balogun was not available to comment. Coach Mauricio Pochettino was expected to discuss the matter during his regularly scheduled news conference Sunday afternoon at Lumen Field.
Belgium coach Rudi Garcia and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois were expected to comment later Sunday, as well.
“There was much worse [incidents] that went on in this tournament,” U.S. star Christian Pulisic said. “It just feels right.”
FIFA hadn’t taken such action with other red cards during the tournament, but did get involved in such matters in recent months. Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo‘s three-game suspension for a red card in a World Cup qualifier last November — a ban that would’ve carried into the World Cup — was reduced to one. He served it in March. He, too, was placed on one-year probation.
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Balogun received the red card in the 64th minute of the 2-0 victory in Santa Clara, California, after clashing with an opponent for the ball. His right foot came down on the back of Tarik Muharemović‘s right ankle. Initially, Balogun did not receive a yellow or red card, but after the video assistant referee recommended a review, referee Raphael Claus ejected him.
Claus received criticism for not looking at the play in full context and instead using slow-motion replay to reach his verdict.
“When you slow stuff down, ultimately it can look worse than what it was,” Richards said Sunday. “For me, it’s a bit harsh, but maybe I have a bit of bias towards it.”
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On Saturday, in his first comments since the incident, Balogun said he thought a “yellow card would’ve been fair.” He then took the high road and accepted the decision, saying it was important to set an example for young players when things go wrong. (He even shook the referee’s hand after the match.)
Without an appeals process, the U.S. began preparing to play without Balogun — probably with Ricardo Pepi on the frontline — and Belgium was undoubtedly adjusting its plans to face a squad missing a three-goal scorer. He continued training as normal, in preparation for a possible quarterfinal appearance against Spain or Portugal on Friday in Inglewood, California.
Then came FIFA’s announcement 31 hours before kickoff.
“The team would have been ready without him,” Pulisic said. “We have guys that can step up. There’s no doubt about it. Obviously we weren’t sure this would happen, but we were prepared.”
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Commenting on the video replay system as a whole, Pulisic said, “I’m not going to go and criticize VAR. It’s done a lot of good things too. Unfortunately, it kind of went against us in that last one. … It can go both ways.”
Asked whether he thought FIFA made the right decision rescinding Balogun’s suspension, defender Alex Freeman said, “The decision, right or wrong, we’re just happy he’s here with us.”
With or without Balogun, the U.S. is bracing for a monumental task.
“For all of us, it’s time to work,” Freeman said of preparing for Belgium, which toyed with the U.S. in a March friendly, 5-2, in Atlanta. “Obviously, he found out he can play, but now it’s, how can you stay mentally prepared to be able to go out, perform and still put out his momentum and actions he’s had?”
