Balogun Red Carded After Controversial VAR Review in US World Cup Win
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- Folarin Balogun was shown a red card for serious foul play in the 63rd minute of the United States' World Cup match against Bosnia-Herzegovina on July 1, after VAR (Juan Ernesto Soto Arévalo) recommended referee Raphael Claus review his challenge on defender Tarik Muharemovic.
- VAR intervened because replays showed Muharemovic's right ankle buckling under contact from Balogun as both players challenged for the ball, prompting the on-field referee to visit the pitchside monitor.
- Andy Davies, a former Select Group referee with over 12 Premier League seasons, ruled that the contact was 'purely accidental' from two players contesting possession and said it was 'not a red card offense'.
- Davies criticized the VAR process as misaligned with protocol, arguing the recommendation relied on slow-motion and still replays that should be used only for point-of-contact purposes in red card tackles.
- Balogun, who had scored a goal for the USMNT before the dismissal, will now miss the United States' next match in the tournament if the team advances.
- FOX Sports and Golazo America circulated footage of the incident and the red card on social media shortly after the match on July 2.
Why it matters: Balogun's suspension could force the USMNT to play a knockout-stage match without their goalscorer from this fixture, a tangible roster cost that flows directly from a single VAR call. The Davies critique also exposes a structural gap: even when the on-field referee defers to the monitor, the quality of the evidence VAR feeds him shapes the outcome, and here the protocol arguably wasn't followed.
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