USMNT’s Mauricio Pochettino criticizes Folarin Balogun sending off: ‘Never a red card’
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — U.S. national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino believes Folarin Balogun should never have been sent off after the striker’s controversial dismissal threatened to derail their World Cup victory over Bosnia & Herzegovina.
“For me? Never a red card,” Pochettino said. “Never an intention to step on the player. It was a normal action in football that happened by accident.”
The 64th minute red card came after Balogun had given the U.S. a first half lead. Pochettino’s men went on to book their place in the round of 16 against Belgium on Monday, as Malik Tillman’s late free kick secured a 2-0 win.
But they will now do so without their star forward and leading scorer.
Balogun was sent off in the second half after a video review showed that he’d stomped on the ankle of Bosnia’s Tarik Muharemovic while challenging for a ball.
“He’s very disappointed,” Pochettino said of Balogun. “It was an action that wasn’t intention, he’s sad. … We cannot do anything to change this feeling. This is soccer, this is football. For sure he’s going to help us to perform and hopefully we can go to the next round so he can be available again.”
The decision to send off Balogun was the headline moment, and referee Raphael Claus had a divisive evening as a number of questionable or inconsistent decisions put him center stage.
“Today, you know 50/50 decisions? Not one goes for us,” Pochettino said. “The players reacted very well, we controlled the emotional part of the game.”
The U.S. finished the match with ten men, but managed to limited Bosnia’s threat before clinching the tie in the 82nd minute as Tillman’s direct free kick sent the stadium into pandemonium.
Bosnia created just 0.25 xG on the night, despite playing with a man advantage for 26 minutes plus stoppage time (10 more minutes). Pochettino made no subs until the 87th minute, leaning on his starters even after Balogun’s red.
“We had to dig deep for that one,” Christian Pulisic told Fox after the game. “I felt we put on such a good performance and didn’t deserve the red card.”
Claus joins Hugh Dallas (Germany, 2002) and Koman Koulibaly (Slovenia, 2010) in the infamous USMNT World Cup Refereeing Hall of Fame on the back of this game.
Balogun was frustrated by physical treatment he received from Bosnian defenders, while Tyler Adams took a heavy challenge in first-half stoppage time, and no Bosnian player was booked until the 80th minute.
Balogun was dismissed after the above challenge in the second-half. (Michael Steele / Getty Images)
Balogun’s red card is potentially tournament-altering for the hosts as they must now replace him for the crunch game with Belgium in Seattle.
The U.S. lost 5-2 to Belgium in March, but the team has grown immensely since then.
“The maturity of the team is amazing, the way we’re going in the last 5-6 weeks,” Pochettino said. “Even when we lost to Portugal and Belgium in March, the team was growing. We are so proud.”
Belgium beat Senegal in dramatic fashion, coming from 2-0 down n the 85th minute, to force the game to extra-time. Youri Tielemans then scored a late extra-time penalty to advance.
Pochettino spoke highly of Belgium, calling them one of the contenders at the World Cup, but insists his side will not be scared.
“For us, it’s about to keep dreaming,” Pochettino said. “To keep working… all is possible in football if you believe. And we are going to believe.”