Folarin Balogun will miss the U.S. men’s national team’s round-of-16 match against Belgium after receiving a 64th-minute red card that followed a lengthy VAR review, according to the report. Fans reacted angrily to the decision, and FIFA statutes prevent overturning the dismissal except in cases of mistaken identity.
The only procedural recourse is an appeal to reduce a potential multi-game ban, the report says, meaning Balogun is likely to sit out the Monday match in Seattle. Christian Pulisic expressed support for Balogun after the Bosnia & Herzegovina game, telling reporters, “he’s done so much for us, and now we got his back,” according to the report.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino faces selection choices. The report notes one option is unlikely: redeploying Pulisic as a central striker. In a March friendly against Portugal, Pulisic started up front for 45 minutes, engaged in a team-high seven duels and won only one, and the experiment did not yield the desired results, according to the report.
That leaves Ricardo Pepi and Haji Wright as the principal alternatives. The report describes both as capable forwards who have pushed for larger roles. Wright said he is ready for whatever role is asked of him and described Balogun’s absence as disappointing, according to the report. Pepi did not speak to reporters after the most recent match, the report adds.
Pepi is identified in the report as the leading candidate to start. He has logged more World Cup minutes than Wright (184 to one) and posted stronger link-play numbers in his league season: an overall passing rate of 83.7% to Wright’s 68.6%, and attacking-third pass completion of 80.8% versus 71.5%. The report also notes that league context differs — with more physical defending in the English Championship, where Wright played, than in the Eredivisie, where Pepi spent last season — and that Pepi provided two assists in the pre-World Cup friendly win over Senegal, showing an ability to link up with teammates, according to the report.
