American forward Folarin Balogun had a night of contrasting fortunes in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old put the co-hosts ahead in the 45th minute after a lucky ricochet came kindly to him in the penalty area, allowing him to put the ball into the net.
However, his evening took a dramatic turn in the 64th minute when he was sent off for a dangerous challenge on Tarik Muharemović.
The pair contested the ball in midfield when Balogun landed his studs on Muharemović’s right ankle. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s players immediately surrounded referee Raphael Claus, who was advised by VAR to watch the incident on the field monitor.
After watching the replay, the Brazilian referee upgraded the decision to a straight red card for serious foul play.
Balogun thus became the first player since Zinedine Zidane in 2006 to score and be sent off in a World Cup knockout match.
Published on July 2, 2026
