Folarin Balogun was shown a red card after a VAR check in the 63rd minute of the United States’ match with Bosnia-Herzegovina on July 1, with referee Raphael Claus and VAR Juan Ernesto Soto Arévalo involved in the decision.
The dismissal followed contact between Balogun and Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic that saw the defender’s right ankle buckle while both players contested the ball.
VAR recommended an on-field review for possible serious foul play and the referee was sent to the pitchside monitor after officials said replays showed the ankle giving way. VAR judged the contact dangerous and advised a review.
Andy Davies, a former Select Group referee with more than 12 seasons at the elite level in the Premier League and Championship and experience operating in the VAR space, said Balogun was unfortunate and that, in his view, the challenge did not merit a red card.
Davies said the contact appeared accidental and a consequence of two players competing for possession within a normal football movement. He added that VAR relied on slow-motion and still images to form its recommendation, which he said is not in line with VAR protocols that limit such replays to establishing point of contact in red card tackle situations.
Davies noted that, once the referee viewed the still images at the screen, it would have been unsurprising that a red card was issued given the pictures presented by VAR.
