The USMNT walked into practice on Monday expecting to prepare for the biggest game of their World Cup run without their starting striker. The mood was grim, the vibe quiet, the stakes suddenly heavier. Then the news came down. Folarin Balogun’s red card from the Bosnia and Herzegovina game was overturned. And everything shifted.
According to FOX Sports’ Laken Litman, the appeal process moved fast. Officials reviewed the incident, decided the initial call was too harsh, and wiped the suspension. Instead of sitting out the Round of 16 against a dangerous Belgium side, Balogun was back in the lineup. That doesn’t just change the formation. It changes the whole energy around a team that needed a spark.
Mauricio Pochettino had spent the last 48 hours mapping out a plan without his leading scorer. The alternatives were fine, but none of them are Balogun. None of them have his mix of hold-up play, movement off the ball, and ability to finish under pressure. Getting him back before kickoff matters more than any tactical adjustment could.
Mr. Cool in the middle of chaos
Center back Chris Richards, asked how Balogun reacted when the news hit, laughed and said, “He’s keeping it Mr. Cool right now. I think he’s pretty excited, but you wouldn’t quite know right now.”
The rest of the team wasn’t hiding anything. Weston McKennie yelled “Welcome back!” as Balogun jogged into the training session. Richards described the group as “lit,” and that’s the word that probably fits best. A team that looked deflated 24 hours earlier suddenly had life again.
Richards also made the point that goes beyond one player’s mood. “Obviously, we look to Flo to lead the front line, and he’s done it really well so far throughout the tournament,” he said. “We’re really happy and excited that that’s been overturned.”
It’s easy to overstate the impact of one disciplinary decision. But this one matters. Balogun isn’t just a goalscorer. He’s the guy Belgium has to plan for. He pulls defenders out of position, creates space for Christian Pulisic and Gio Reyna to operate, and gives Pochettino a target to play through in transition. Without him, Belgium could press higher. With him, they have to respect the run in behind.
The Americans now walk into this game with their full attacking arsenal available. That’s not a guarantee of anything — Belgium has players who can flip a match on its own — but it’s a whole lot better than the alternative.
For now, the moment belongs to Balogun. He gets to turn a relief ruling into something real. The stadium lights are on, the knockout stage is here, and the USMNT has its striker back. What he does with that is the only question left.
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