FIFA clears Folarin Balogun to play for USMNT against Belgium, FOX Sports reports

Folarin Balogun’s one-game prohibition was suspended by FIFA connected Sunday, allowing the guardant to play successful the United States’ World Cup round of 16 crippled against Belgium connected Monday.

The backstory:

Balogun was shown a consecutive reddish paper successful Wednesday's triumph implicit Bosnia-Herzegovina aft stepping connected the close ankle of defender Tarik Muharemovic.

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What they're saying:

Speaking earlier grooming astatine Husky Soccer Stadium, the U.S. striker said helium believed the situation warranted a yellowish paper alternatively than a dismissal.

"There's obscurity other to enactment your leg. It's going to beryllium unavoidable," Balogun said. "I've seen galore antithetic opinions and takes. But, for maine personally, I deliberation a yellowish paper would person been fair. It's thing that's happened, truthful we person to determination guardant and I person to judge it."

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Dig deeper:

Under FIFA rules, a consecutive reddish paper carries an automatic one-match suspension. Because FIFA did not enforce immoderate further disciplinary action, Balogun volition beryllium eligible to instrumentality for the quarterfinals if the United States advances past Belgium.

Despite the suspension, Balogun has been 1 of the tournament's standout performers. He has scored 3 goals, including the opener against Bosnia-Herzegovina, matching Landon Donovan's three-goal full from the 2010 World Cup for the second-most goals by an American successful a azygous tournament. Only Bert Patenaude, who scored 4 goals astatine the inaugural World Cup successful 1930, has scored much for the United States successful 1 tournament.

Balogun celebrated his extremity against Bosnia-Herzegovina with LeBron James' signature "Silencer" gesture, a solemnisation the NBA's all-time starring scorer aboriginal acknowledged connected societal media. The Arsenal-born guardant besides became the archetypal American to people doubly successful a World Cup lucifer since Patenaude accomplished the feat successful 1930.

Balogun described the days pursuing the lucifer arsenic an affectional whirlwind but said helium wanted to respond with composure.

"Been upset, I've been happy. It's been surreal, to beryllium honest," Balogun said. "But for me, I deliberation it was conscionable important to enactment calm. I ne'er privation to respond retired of choler and retired of emotion. There's inactive tons of radical who are inspiring small kids, boys and girls who are watching. We person to amusement them the close mode to grip things, adjacent erstwhile you deliberation it's unjust."

The Source: The accusation successful this communicative comes chiefly from a FOX Sports study citing aggregate sources that said FIFA cleared Folarin Balogun to play against Belgium. This communicative was reported from Los Angeles.