Balogun scores and sees red to join Zidane and Ronaldinho in exclusive World Cup club

Folarin Balogun wrote his name into a peculiar piece of World Cup history on Tuesday, scoring the opening goal in the United States’ 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina before being sent off in the 64th minute — making him only the fourth player ever to score and receive a red card in the same World Cup knockout-stage match.

The Monaco forward’s goal gave the United States an early lead in only their second-ever knockout-stage win at a World Cup. His afternoon unravelled when VAR intervened on a challenge with Tarik Muharemovic. Both players contested a loose ball in the air, and as Balogun came down, his foot landed on Muharemovic’s ankle. The referee deemed it serious foul play, though the contact appeared accidental and the decision drew immediate debate.

Balogun joins a short and storied list. The most celebrated entry belongs to Zinedine Zidane, who in the 2006 World Cup final converted an audacious Panenka penalty — the ball clipping the underside of the crossbar before crossing the line — only to be dismissed in extra time after headbutting Marco Materazzi in the chest. France lost to Italy on penalties.

Ronaldinho’s entry came in the 2002 quarter-finals against England, when he curled a free kick from a wide angle over a wrong-footed David Seaman to put Brazil 2-1 ahead. Seven minutes later he was sent off for a high challenge on Danny Mills, yet Brazil held on to advance.

The first player to achieve the feat was Garrincha in the 1962 semifinal, where he scored twice in Brazil’s 4-2 win over Chile before retaliating against Eladio Rojas after suffering repeated fouls throughout the game. FIFA subsequently cleared him to play the final, which Brazil won 3-1 against Czechoslovakia.

Balogun’s red card left the United States to see out the final half-hour with ten men, but they held firm to secure the result. The sending off will now hang over the squad’s preparations for the next round, with his availability subject to the standard disciplinary process.