Folarin Balogun had the kind of World Cup night that belongs in a Greek tragedy. He scored the opening goal for the United States against Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1, then found himself walking off the pitch with a straight red card 64 minutes in, punished for what looked like an accidental step on a defender’s ankle.
The 24-year-old forward became one of the rare players in World Cup history to both score and get ejected in a knockout-stage match.
What actually happened
The incident occurred during a contested ball in the 64th minute. Balogun, competing for possession, inadvertently stepped on the ankle of Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic. The initial call on the pitch didn’t produce a red card. Then VAR got involved.
After a review, Brazilian referee Raphael Claus upgraded the foul to a straight red, deeming it a “serious foul.” Balogun was sent off, and the US was forced to play the remaining stretch of the match with ten men.
