Balogun starts for US after red card suspended

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Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - United States Training - University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, U.S. - July 5, 2026 Folarin Balogun of the U.S. during training IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Blake Dahlin
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Round of 16 - United States v Belgium - Seattle Stadium, Seattle, Washington, U.S. - July 6, 2026 U.S. fan holds up a poster of Folarin Balogun outside the stadium before the match IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Blake Dahlin

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U.S. striker Folarin Balogun will start Monday's World Cup last-16 clash against Belgium after FIFA suspended the red-card sanction he received in the team's previous match, with a FIFA appeals committee rejecting Belgium's challenge to the decision.

Balogun, the team's leading scorer at the tournament on three, spearheads the U.S. attack alongside Christian Pulisic.

U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino selects Matt Freese to start in goal, no changes from the previous match against Bosnia.

Belgium's Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Jeremy Doku all start on the bench.

U.S.: Matt Freese, Sergino Dest, Chris Richards, Tyler Adams, Antonee Robinson, Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic, Tim Ream, Alex Freeman, Malik Tillman, Folarin Balogun.

Belgium: Thibaut Courtois, Brandon Mechele, Maxim De Cuyper, Youri Tielemans, Leandro Trossard, Charles De Ketelaere, Timothy Castagne, Nathan Ngoy, Nicolas Raskin, Amadou Onana, Dodi Lukebakio.

Source: Reuters

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