SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Folarin Balogun's star turn at this World Cup went sideways early in the second half Wednesday night, as the American forward was sent off -- after a VAR review -- for dragging his cleats down the back of Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic's leg and onto his foot.
Despite being down to 10 players, the U.S. won 2-0, with Malik Tillman's exquisite free kick giving Mauricio Pochettino's side a second goal after Balogun was sent off.
Balogun put the United States in front 1-0 just before halftime with his third goal of the tournament. He looked stunned as Brazilian referee Raphael Claus first went to the monitor, then, moments later, showed a red card in the 64th minute.
Balogun trudged slowly to the dressing room, and the U.S. was forced to play the rest of the match with 10 men. He becomes the fifth American to receive a red card in the World Cup after Eric Wynalda against Czechoslovakia in 1990, Fernando Clavijo against Brazil in 1994, and Pablo Mastroeni and Eddie Pope against Italy in 2006.
The AS Monaco striker is also the first player to score and be sent off in a World Cup knockout game since France great Zinedine Zidane was infamously shown a red card for a head-butt in the 2006 final.
Perhaps even more pressing is what might come next as Balogun will likely be suspended for the USMNT's round-of-16 match against Belgium.