Pochettino Left Stunned by Balogun Red Card
United States boss Mauricio Pochettino could not contain his astonishment as Folarin Balogun was sent off during their World Cup win over Bosnia & Herzegovina. On Wednesday evening in Seattle, the USA secured their first knockout victory since 2002 with an exciting 2-0 triumph over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Balogun broke the deadlock with an excellent finish late in the opening half to claim his third goal of the World Cup, while Malik Tillman wrapped up the USMNT's Round of 32 success with a spectacular free kick.
The Red Card Incident
Yet one incident will dominate the headlines, with Balogun receiving a straight red card for violent conduct after a challenge on Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic in the second half. The flashpoint came in the 64th minute, with Balogun looking shocked as the severity of the looming verdict became clear. VAR directed referee Raphael Claus to review the pitchside monitor and, shortly afterwards, brandished the striker a red card.
As Claus described the challenge as a "serious foul" and issued a red card to Balogun, Pochettino stood on the touchline with his arms outstretched in disbelief. The former Tottenham Hotspur manager then threw his hands skyward and, wearing a wry smile, approached the fourth official attempting to comprehend the reasoning behind the decision.
Historic Context and Pochettino's Reaction
Balogun trudged dejectedly back to the dressing room, leaving the US to battle through the remainder of the match with 10 men. The ruling made him the fifth American to be shown a red card at a World Cup, following Eric Wynalda against Czechoslovakia in 1990, Fernando Clavijo against Brazil in 1994, and Pablo Mastroeni and Eddie Pope against Italy in 2006. Balogun also becomes the first player to both score and be sent off in a World Cup knockout fixture since French legend Zinedine Zidane was sent off in the 2006 World Cup final.
Speaking after the final whistle, Pochettino hit back at the decision to dismiss Balogun, saying: “For me, it’s never a red card. I looked at it on TV, there never was intention, and to step on the player was a normal action in football that happened by accident. It was never intentional. For me, this was never intentional.”
Player Reactions and Next Match
US men's national team star Christian Pulisic spoke out after the match, admitting he "didn't see" the red card incident but expressed his pride in his side's fighting spirit. Speaking after the final whistle, he said: “We had to dig deep for that one. Obviously, I felt like we put on such a good performance and didn’t deserve the red card. I didn’t see it, but it’s unfortunate. For us to dig in deep like that, and just to get another goal and defend the way we did, it took a real team effort. We’re proud of that.”
Tillman, who netted a stunning second goal, added: “I think this shows our character. We’ve said it before a lot of times, we’re always there for each other, no matter what. I think today showed that.” The US side will now face Belgium, who secured a 3-2 victory over Senegal, in Seattle on Monday, July 6.
To compound matters further, FIFA's Disciplinary Committee holds the authority to extend Folarin Balogun's ban beyond the Round of 16 clash against Belgium, though the body is powerless to overturn or reduce any suspension. This leaves Pochettino with a headache up front ahead of Monday's crucial encounter in Seattle.
