Why was Folarin Balogun red card suspended as USA handed major World Cup boost | OneFootball

Striker had been controversially dismissed in first knockout round

Folarin Balogun will be able to play against Belgium for the United States in the World Cup last 16, despite being sent off in their last match.

The former Arsenal striker was dismissed for a foul on Tarik Muharemovic, where the forward trod on the defender’s ankle during the US’ 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in San Francisco, California.

The Monaco man had scored the opener for Mauricio Pochettino’s side on the stroke of half time, but was dismissed just after the hour in a controversial decision.

Pochettino, the former Chelsea and Tottenham manager, was infuriated at the call, saying afterwards: “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.”

Sent off: Folarin Balogun

Now, however, FIFA have announced that Balogun’s ban has been “suspended”, with the striker now able to face Belgium instead of serving the one-gane suspension he had been in line for.

In a statement, the governing body said that Balogun’s ban was suspended for “one year”.

"In line with article 27 of the Fifa disciplinary code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year,” the statement read.

"If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement."

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, claimed that the decision to send Balogun off was a “great injustice”, and he thanked FIFA for their verdict.

"Thank you to Fifa for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice! President DONALD J. TRUMP," he wrote on Truth Social.

FIFA had previously used ‘article 27’ to allow Cristiano Ronaldo to play in Portugal’s first match of this summer’s World Cup against the DR Congo, with the forward having been sent off earlier in the year against the Republic of Ireland.