The USA defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in the World Cup Round of 16 to advance, but Balogun, who scored the opening goal, was sent off with a red card for stepping on an opponent during the match. James Ducker, a Telegraph journalist, believes this decision is seriously problematic.

James Ducker wrote:

It appears there is one rule for Lionel Messi and another for everyone else. The good news for the USA is they deserved to advance to the knockout stages with a professional performance against Bosnia and Herzegovina. But the bad news for head coach Mauricio Pochettino and the home team is that star striker Folarin Balogun will miss Monday's match against Belgium in Seattle due to a highly controversial red card.

Balogun became the first player to score and be sent off in a World Cup knockout match since Zinedine Zidane headbutted Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup final. Zidane didn't complain about his red card, but Balogun has every reason to feel aggrieved, especially when recalling the decisions (or lack thereof) involving Messi earlier in this tournament.

On June 17, during Argentina's 3-0 victory over Algeria in Kansas City, Messi raked his left boot across Issa Mandi's right heel but escaped any punishment. Messi also scored a hat-trick in that match. At best, it was an extremely clumsy action; at worst, Messi knew exactly what he was doing, and the subsequent worried reaction from Argentina's captain said it all.

So how do we compare this to Balogun's 64th-minute red card? In terms of the boot raking across the opponent's heel—Balogun's contact with Tariq Muharemovic—the two incidents are virtually identical, yet Balogun's action was clearly entirely unintentional, resulting from two players getting tangled up in a physical contest.

Beyond the uncomfortable inconsistency in refereeing and VAR decisions, this also raises new questions about insisting on reviewing such incidents using slow-motion replays. In slow motion, Balogun's action looks far worse than it did in real time, and therein lies the problem: when you change the speed at which you assess an event, you're essentially analyzing a completely different incident.

The Monaco striker's eyes were on the ball throughout the challenge, and at the moment of contact, the American forward lost his balance and their bodies became entangled. In the process, the former Arsenal academy player had no idea where his right foot was.

The impact on the Bosnia and Herzegovina defender was unfortunate and uncomfortable, but it was neither reckless nor malicious. As such, this red card appears extremely harsh and has now cost Pochettino a key player in the Belgium match. Under the rules, a red card can only be appealed if the wrong player was identified or if the player faces a multi-match ban.

It was telling that Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Kolasinac and USA forward Christian Pulisic both came to console their former Arsenal teammate.

Balogun had scored his third goal of the tournament before the end of the first half, putting his side ahead 1-0. Had that red card swung the match in Bosnia and Herzegovina's favor, it would have been a disaster for the USA. But credit to Pochettino's side, who remained calm and composed, not only getting through the final 26 minutes and 10 minutes of stoppage time relatively comfortably but extending their lead.

Malik Tillman made it 2-0 with a late goal, and while Bosnia and Herzegovina goalkeeper Vasilj clearly got a touch on the ball, he should have done better to keep it out.

That said, none of this will concern Pochettino much. This was another impressive display from his team. The only significant regret is that he may lose his top scorer for the Belgium match.

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