Balogun suspended for USA's round of 16 clash with Belgium after World Cup red card

Folarin Balogun will sit out the United States’ round of 16 match against Belgium at Seattle Stadium on Monday, serving an automatic one-game suspension after his red card in the 4-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. FIFA’s disciplinary panel is yet to rule on whether the ban will be extended, meaning Balogun could also miss a potential quarterfinal — which would be the USA’s first since 2002.

Balogun was dismissed after Brazilian referee Raphael Claus reviewed a VAR incident in which the striker stepped on the ankle of Bosnian centre-back Tarik Muharemovic while falling to the ground. Claus, sent to the pitchside monitor to assess the challenge, judged the contact sufficient to warrant a red card.

The standard one-match ban that accompanies a World Cup red card cannot be appealed, as confirmed by rules analyst Mark Clattenburg. However, should FIFA’s disciplinary panel decide the challenge merits a longer suspension and hand down an extended ban, the United States would then have the right to challenge that decision.

Despite his early exit from the match, Balogun had already made his mark on the game, becoming the first player to score a goal and receive a red card in the same World Cup knockout fixture since Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 final against Italy.

The USA will face Belgium without their leading striker as they look to reach the last eight of a World Cup for the first time in 23 years.