Folarin Balogun was sent off during the round of 32 game last week and initially received a one-game suspension
Credit: Alex Grimm/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- The U.S. lost its round of 16 World Cup match on Monday night
- Belgium won 4-1
- The loss came after President Donald Trump intervened on behalf of the team to help reinstate star striker Folarin Balogun
On Monday night, the U.S. Men’s National Team’s World Cup dream came to an end in Seattle.
Belgium defeated the U.S. on July 6 4-1 and advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals.
The Belgians took an early lead with the first goal at nine minutes into the game. Malik Tillman tied it at 31 minutes in, scoring the only U.S. goal of the night. Belgium’s Charles De Ketelaere scored his second goal at 33 minutes in.
The U.S. kept the game close until the 57th minute, when goaltender Matt Freese made a mistake by coming far out into the pitch. Belgium’s Hans Vanaken took advantage, scoring the third goal. Romelu Lukaku scored the fourth goal just at the end of stoppage time, and ending the USMNT’s dreams.
The loss came after star U.S. striker Folarin Balogun returned to the pitch. He was reinstated by FIFA following a red card suspension during the round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday, July 1, and after a phone call was placed from President Donald Trump to FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
“All I did, I asked for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump, 80, told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, July 6, hours ahead of the round of 16 clash between the United States and Belgium in the FIFA World Cup.
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He continued, “I saw the play, and I’m a person who loves sports and was a good athlete. That wasn’t a foul. That wasn’t even an infraction.
Balogun was ejected during the United States’ 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1. He was tossed from the game during the 64th minute after he got tangled up with Bosnia’s Tarik Muharemovic. He received a one-game suspension after seemingly inadvertently stepping on Muharemovic’s ankle.
Credit: Carl Recine/Getty
Multiple FIFA officials previously said that the United States Men’s National Team could not appeal the red card or suspension. One official did say, however, that all red cards are “automatically referred to FIFA’s independent disciplinary committee for assessment,” according to The Athletic.
Belgium challenged the decision on Monday morning, but FIFA overturned it, clearing the way for Balogun to return.
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