SAN JOSE, Calif. — The celebration lasted only a few hours.
By the time the United States national team returned to the practice field Thursday morning at PayPal Park, the music had faded, the adrenaline had worn off and the reality of what awaits them in the Round of 16 had settled over training like the Bay Area fog.
The Americans had survived Bosnia-Herzegovina. Now they had to prepare for Belgium without a player who helped carry them there.
Folarin Balogun’s controversial red card in Wednesday night’s 2-0 victory in Santa Clara did more than force the U.S. to survive the final half hour with 10 men. It stripped Mauricio Pochettino’s squad of its most dangerous attacking weapon for Monday’s showdown in Seattle against one of the top teams in the world.
No players or coaches spoke to reporters after Thursday’s training session, leaving the silence to tell the story.
The debate, meanwhile, has exploded everywhere else.
Sports radio. Television talk shows. Podcasts. Social media. Even Merriam-Webster and former USMNT coach Bruce Arena weighed in as the controversial VAR decision became one of the defining talking points of this World Cup.
Inside the American locker room after the match, there was little doubt about how players viewed the situation.
“The guys talked about it in the locker room. Obviously, the ref made the decision that he made, but I think it’s questionable,” midfielder Weston McKennie said. “I think there’s been many other plays like that throughout the tournament on other players that a card wasn’t given at all. It’s disappointing. Some of my teammates have said they don’t think it’s a red card. Maybe a yellow, but it was unintentional.”
Pochettino didn’t hide his frustration afterward either.
“For me it was never a red card,” the U.S. manager said. “There was never any intention. That was a normal action in football. It happened by accident. For me that is never a red card.”
Hours later, after players watched the replays on their phones, emotions shifted from disbelief to resignation.
“I think it’s a yellow card,” captain Tyler Adams said. “I think when you slow everything down, it’s always gonna look worse.”
When informed FIFA regulations leave virtually no avenue for U.S. Soccer to appeal the suspension, Adams shrugged.
“Typical FIFA.”
McKennie was even less diplomatic.
“I think it’s a bit bogus,” he said about not being able to appeal the decision. “Whether we’re missing a guy for the next game, the next guy will step up and contribute what they can to the team.”
The inconsistency of the calls continues to fuel the outrage. Fans quickly circulated clips of other studs-up challenges — including one involving Golden Boot co-leader Lionel Messi — that didn’t even result in a foul. A U.S. Soccer official privately showed reporters a collage of similar incidents that drew neither red cards nor, in some cases, even fouls.
Reasonable people agree Balogun committed a foul. His boot came down on Tarik Muharemovic’s ankle while both players chased a loose ball. It deserved punishment. Maybe even a yellow card.
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But intent matters. Context matters. Balogun wasn’t looking at the defender. He wasn’t lunging to stop a breakaway. He wasn’t attempting to injure anyone.
Now, the U.S. heads into its biggest match of the tournament missing the striker who scored in all three of his World Cup appearances and had been the Americans’ most influential player. He could have easily been among the contenders for the Golden Boot had he stayed in the game or taken the field against Belgium. He was undoubtedly on his way to his third Man of the Match honor.
Bosnia couldn’t stop Balogun.
But VAR did.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
