Sent off 

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The United States men’s national team have advanced to the round of 16 thanks to a 2-0 win over Bosnia and will now face Belgium. Folarin Balogun, who has become the most important US player, was the tragic hero in this match. The 24-year-old Monaco forward scored the opener in the 45th minute and, with an xG of 1.57, had enough chances to add to his tally. It now remains to be seen whether we will see the Arsenal academy product again at the tournament, as the forward was sent off in the 64th minute.

Without a doubt, it was a freak accident: Balogun stepped on Tarik Muharemović’s ankle. Accident or not, the laws of the game are quite clear in this instance, and the red card was justified. But even without Balogun, the US got the job done against what turned out to be quite a limited Bosnian side centred around 41-year-old striker Edin Dzeko and the talented winger Kerim Alejbegović. Indeed, Malik Tillman decided the game with a freekick in the 82nd minute.

The result means the USMNT will now face Belgium in the next round. The Red Devils beat Senegal 3-2 A.E.T. earlier today thanks to a controversial penalty in the 120+4th minute. Indeed, Belgium had to overcome a two-goal deficit to force extra time in the first place. On balance, Belgium have looked old and slow throughout the group stage and until they went down 2-0 tonight. But Belgium can still rely on the individual quality of star players like Jérémy Doku, Youri Tielemans and Kevin de Bruyne. Plus, in goalscorer Romelu Lukaku, they still have a player that can guarantee goals.

Against Belgium – Can anyone replace Balogun for the USMNT?

Balogun was that player for the United States. But the striker will miss the matchup against Belgium. So, who could step in and fill the void? The United States took three center-forwards to the tournament. Balogun, Ricardo Pepi and Haji Wright. While Balogun has scored 0.4 goals per game for the US, Wright has managed just 0.33 per game and Pepi only 0.32. Balogun’s strike rate at major tournaments, in particular, has been impressive. He scored two in three games at the 2024 Copa América and has scored in all three games at this tournament. While Wright has managed one World Cup goal, Pepi is yet to score at a major tournament.

In other words, both Pepi and Wright now have a major hole to fill, especially as Balogun is the USMNT’s only multiple goalscorer at this tournament. Scoring by committee could be one solution. But Balogun has been so much more than just a goalscorer. The striker has been a pivotal player in the attack, especially with Christian Pulisic struggling on and off with injuries. In other words, Balogun has emerged as America’s most important player, and without him, beating Belgium has just become a bit tougher.