U.S. Soccer officials have confirmed that the USMNT “cannot appeal” F Folarin Balogun’s red card and ensuing suspension for the Round of 16 match against Belgium. Broadcast commentators and fans “immediately questioned the decision” after Balogun was shown a red card when he “crashed into Bosnia’s Tarik Muharemović, landing his foot on top of Muharemović’s during the physical match." Muharemović “hit the pitch, howling in pain, and was treated on the field.” The referee “used the video assistant referee to review the play and determined it merited a red card” (L.A. TIMES, 7/1). In “real time it looked like an innocuous collision,” but a slow-motion replay “made the contact appear much worse than it was.” There were “parallels” with a challenge from Argentina F Lionel Messi against Aissa Mandi of Algeria in the group phase, “but unlike Messi, Balogun was sent off for serious foul play” (London TIMES, 7/2).
USMNT MF Tyler Adams, when asked about there being no way to appeal, said, “Typical FIFA.” USMNT MF Weston McKennie said it was a “bit bogus” that the U.S. cannot appeal, while F Christian Pulisic “was also unimpressed.” Pulisic: “[That] he misses the next game is ridiculous for something like that.” USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino added, “For me it’s never a red card. Watching it after on TV, it was never the intention, to step on to the player” (London TELEGRAPH, 7/2).
The decision “quickly became a talking point” after Fox analyst and Soccer HOFer Alexi Lalas shared footage of a challenge by Messi against Algeria earlier in the tournament. Lalas “argued the incidents were comparable, yet Messi escaped without any disciplinary action.” Lalas: “It should be said that if his name was Messi, as we have seen earlier in the tournament, he would still be on the field and he would still be able to play in Seattle on Monday” (GOAL.com, 7/2).
The London INDEPENDENT looked at the red card under the header, "One rule for Messi, another for Balogun? USA striker sees red in World Cup after controversial VAR call."
