Folarin Balogun is set to be available to play for the USA against Belgium on Monday after his one game ban following his red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina has been suspended.
Balogun was shown a straight red card in the Round of 32 game with Bosnia for a foul on defender Tarik Muharemovic after Brazilian official Raphael Claus was sent to review the incident on the VAR monitor.
A red card automatically carries a one game ban and it was understood that there was no route for appeal for Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
But according to The Athletic the 25-year-old Monaco striker is set to be available to play.
Article 27 of FIFA’s disciplinary code states that “the judicial body may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure.”
It adds: “If the person benefiting from a suspended sanction commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked by the judicial body and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.”
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Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo avoided a suspension for the start of the World Cup in similar circumstances after FIFA handed the Portugal captain a three-match ban, but with the final two games suspended for “a one-year probation period”.
Balogun scored three goals in the World Cup so far and has started in all but one game for the tournament co-hosts, scoring twice in their opener against Paraguay. The forward was rested against Turkey in the final group-stage game before returning to score against Bosnia in the first-half.
He has registered at least one goal contribution in every World Cup game he has played in so far at this tournament.
The news will come as a boost to Pochettino who did not agree with the sending off in the first place and said after the game with Bosnia: “For me? Never a red card.
“Never an intention to step on the player. It was a normal action in football that happened by accident.
Meanwhile Christian Pulisic added: “It’s just so unfortunate, honestly.
“Looking back at it, it just seems so harsh. I just told him, he’s done so much for us, and now we got his back.”
The USA face Belgium in the Round of 16 game in Seattle on Monday.