FIFA’s decision to rescind Folarin Balogun’s red-card suspension has altered the narrative surrounding the USA’s match against Belgium on Sunday night.
FOX Sports’ Carli Lloyd believed that the challenge did not warrant a red card but voiced concern over how the timing of the decision will affect how Balogun is defended.
“Balogun now has a bullseye on him. If I was a Belgian player, I wouldn’t want to give him a sniff on goal. I wouldn’t want to see him try to score,” Lloyd said from Seattle.
Carli Lloyd, Clint Dempsey & Alexi Lalas on Folarin Balogun Being Available to Play vs Belgium
Lloyd warned that the reversal changes the dynamic from the Belgian perspective and puts a target on the American forward.
“I wouldn’t want to see the team do well. And so that’s the motivation that now this Belgian side has going into this, and I just think it’s a bit unfair for Balogun, a bit unfair for the US team, and they’re going to have to kind of roll the sleeves up and get to work today.”
Alexi Lalas also emphasized the scale of the announcement, noting the impact it has on both teams.
“When we’re dealing with a player like Flo Balogun, I think both teams can be motivated. Belgium can feel aggrieved, and they didn’t have enough time, and they have to re-prepare for this game,” Lalas said. “But I got to feel that Belgium, with or without Balogun, looked at this US team in this particular moment as a team that they can beat.”
For the United States, the decision provides a boost in confidence given Balogun’s form this summer.
“When it comes to the US, obviously, if you’re Balogun, you hit a new lease on life, and thankfully, from a US perspective, that’s happening because this man has had a wonderful tournament,” Lalas said. “And he gets to go on the field where only 24 hours ago he didn’t know if he was going to, actually he didn’t think he was going to.”
Clint Dempsey expressed frustration with the timing of the ruling and the efficiency of the appeal system.
“In terms of the appeal process, it should be, it should be done better, right? It should be done quicker. Dempsey said.”I think this is one of those changes you need to make better, because sometimes refs get it wrong, and there should be an appeal process that’s quicker, [so] that you don’t have these types of situations. Because you want your best players on the pitch.”
Lloyd agreed that the timing of the decision, regardless of whether the red card was warranted or not, could provide motivation for a Belgium side that has the talent to advance.
“Yeah, absolutely, I agree with both of you. I think you know it wasn’t a red [card] in my eyes,” Lloyd said. “Regardless, the timing of all this is very bizarre. The day before a game, and this is a little worrisome for me, because this Belgian side has not been that great in this World Cup.
“You don’t need to give a team any extra motivation to want to beat a team, and that is my concern, a little bit. I think the US can handle that pressure. They’ve handled it up to this point perfectly well. But now there’s a circumstance surrounding this US team.”
Lalas concluded that regardless of the controversy, American supporters are focused on the opportunity to see the squad at full strength.
“If you’re a US fan, you want Balogun to go out there and score a bunch of goals, and he’s going to get the opportunity, and that’s what this game, I think, ultimately is going to be about, is this version of the US that includes Balogun being given the opportunity to go up against Belgium today.”
