Referee Raphael Claus shows the red card to United States’ Folarin Balogun, unseen, during the World Cup Round of 32 match. (AP Photo)

The United States booked their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, but the celebrations were tempered by a major setback as star striker Folarin Balogun was sent off during the second half.The red card means Mauricio Pochettino’s side is now set to be without one of its most influential attackers for the knockout clash against Belgium on July 6 — unless a successful appeal overturns the suspension.

Balogun had given the United States the lead just before halftime with his third goal of the tournament before his night took a dramatic turn in the 64th minute.The striker challenged Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic for the ball and accidentally stepped on his opponent’s ankle. Referee Raphael Claus initially allowed play to continue before reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor. After the VAR check, Claus upgraded the decision to a straight red card.The dismissal forced the Americans to play the remainder of the match with 10 men, though Malik Tillman later sealed a famous 2-0 victory with a stunning free-kick.The goal was Balogun’s third of the tournament, drawing him level with Landon Donovan’s tally from the 2010 World Cup and leaving him just one behind Bert Patenaude’s record of four goals by an American at a single men’s World Cup, set in 1930.

Will Balogun play against Belgium?

Under FIFA’s disciplinary regulations, a player shown a straight red card is automatically suspended for his team’s next match. As things stand, that means Balogun will miss the United States’ Round of 16 meeting with Belgium.However, there remains a slim possibility that the striker could still feature.Following the match, the US Soccer Federation can submit an appeal to FIFA’s disciplinary committee seeking to overturn the suspension. If FIFA determines that the dismissal was incorrect or warrants reconsideration, the automatic one-match ban could be rescinded.Should the appeal fail, Balogun will watch from the sidelines as the United States chase only their third-ever World Cup knockout victory.The striker had been one of the standout performers of the tournament before his dismissal. Besides scoring, he had another effort ruled out for offside and repeatedly troubled the Bosnian defence with his movement.Balogun also paid tribute to NBA legend LeBron James by celebrating with the iconic “Silencer” gesture after finding the net. James later acknowledged the celebration on social media.The red card was only the fifth received by a US player at a men’s World Cup, adding another dramatic chapter to an eventful night that ultimately ended with the Americans reaching the Round of 16 despite playing more than 25 minutes a man down.