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07/05 13:50 CDT Folarin Balogun's 1-game ban suspended by FIFA, allowing US forward to play vs. Belgium Folarin Balogun's 1-game ban suspended by FIFA, allowing US forward to play vs. Belgium By RONALD BLUM AP Sports Writer SEATTLE (AP) --- Folarin Balogun's one-game ban was surprisingly suspended by FIFA, clearing the U.S. forward to play in the team's World Cup round of 16 match against Belgium, a decision that was praised by President Donald Trump. Balogun, who leads the Americans with three goals, received a red card for stepping awkwardly on a foot of Tarik Muharemovic of Bosnia and Herzegovina in a 2-0 round of 32 win on Wednesday. A red card calls for an automatic one-game suspension but players learned of Balogun's availability when social media posts started popping up during the 10-minute bus ride Sunday from their hotel to training at the University of Washington. "I think a lot of us thought it was AI at first,'" defender Chris Richards said. "We weren't sure if it was true or not." Trump praised FIFA's decision. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has repeatedly made efforts to grow close to Trump, even awarding him a FIFA Peace Prize at the World Cup draw. "Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!" Trump said in a social media post. Balogun's red card and suspension for the round of 16 match had been one of the most controversial and consequential decisions of the World Cup. "If you look at the foul, it was just zero intent at all," U.S. star Christian Pulisic said. "I felt like there was much worse ones that went on this tournament." The U.S. Soccer Federation learned of the decision in a message sent by FIFA in its portal at 10:31 a.m. EDT. "The implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year," FIFA announced. "If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement." Balogun's three goals included one to give the U.S. the lead against Bosnia. He has matched Landon Donovan in 2010 for the second-most goals by an American in a World Cup, behind only Bert Patenaude's four in the initial tournament in 1930. A 25-year-old who plays for Monaco, Balogun scored 13 Ligue 1 goals last season. He has 12 goals in 30 international appearances. He was born in Brooklyn to Nigerian parents who were living in London and in 2023 opted to change his national team affiliation from England, which he had represented at the under-21 level. "He strikes fear into a lot of defenders," Richards said. The host U.S. is seeking to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002. The Americans lost in the round of 16 to Ghana in 2010, Belgium in 2014 and the Netherlands in 2022. They failed to advance from the group stage in 2006 and didn't qualify for the 2018 tournament. The USSF said it will not make Balogun available for comment Sunday, but Balogun posted on social media a picture of himself in front of U.S. fans and overlaid with music of Michael Jackson's pop single "Bad." On Friday, Balogun said he thought a yellow card instead of red "would have been fair." FIFA said its decision relied on Article 27 of disciplinary committee rules. "The judicial body may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure. By suspending the implementation of the sanction, the judicial body subjects the person sanctioned to a probationary period of one to four years," the rule states. FIFA in November deferred the final two games of a three-match ban for Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo for a red card against Ireland in a World Cup qualifier, allowing him to play at the start of the World Cup. Argentine defender Nicols Otamendi and Ecuadoran midfielder Moiss Caicedo in April had one-game bans deferred for red cards in qualifiers, also allowing them to be available for World Cup openers. Brazil's Garrincha was ejected from a 1962 semifinal but allowed to play in the final against Chile after political pressure. ___ AP Soccer Writer James Robson and AP Sports Writer Jim Vertuno contributed to this report. ___ See more of AP's World Cup coverage here

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