Football fans have been left divided after United States striker Folarin Balogun was shown a straight red card during his side's FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 clash against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday.The 24-year-old, who scored his third goal of the tournament in the USA's 2-0 victory, was sent off in the 64th minute after catching Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemović on the ankle with his studs. Following a VAR review, Brazilian referee Raphael Claus upgraded the challenge to a straight red card, forcing the co-hosts to play the remainder of the match with 10 men.
The dismissal has sparked widespread debate online, with many supporters comparing the incident to Lionel Messi's challenge on Algeria defender Aïssa Mandi during Argentina's group-stage match. Messi, who scored a hat-trick in that game, escaped without a red card after catching Mandi on the calf with a studs-up challenge.
The contrasting decisions have fuelled discussions across social media, with many fans questioning the consistency of refereeing at the tournament.
Despite the setback, Mauricio Pochettino's side held firm and booked their place in the Round of 16 with a hard-fought 2-0 victory. Balogun continued his impressive tournament by scoring his third goal of the World Cup just before halftime.
Bosnia started brightly and created the better opportunities early on, forcing goalkeeper Matt Freese into a couple of important saves. However, the United States gradually took control, with Balogun proving to be a constant threat in attack. After seeing one effort ruled out for offside and coming close on multiple occasions, the striker finally broke the deadlock in the 45th minute when Malik Tillman set him up following Tim Ream's interception in midfield.
Balogun calmly slotted home to register his third goal of the tournament, moving within one goal of the US men's single-World Cup scoring record set by Bert Patenaude in 1930.
ALSO READ: Folarin Balogun, Malik Tillman Score As The Stars And Stripes Qualify For Round Of 16
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