Folarin Balogun’s Wednesday night at the World Cup was one for the record books — though not entirely for the right reasons. The American striker opened the scoring and paid homage to an NBA legend, only to be sent off the field later in the same game, leaving his team shorthanded heading into a crucial knockout round.
Balogun netted his third goal of the tournament to give the United States a first-half advantage in their 2-0 round-of-32 victory over Bosnia on Wednesday. After putting the ball in the net, he channeled LeBron James, mimicking the basketball star’s well-known “Silencer” celebration — raising his knees, pounding his chest, and pushing both arms downward repeatedly in front of a fired-up crowd in Santa Clara.
James himself caught the moment. “Helluva goal there Young King!” the NBA star posted on social media while the match was still underway, amplifying Balogun’s highlight with some added celebrity shine.
The good feelings didn’t last long. After halftime, a Video Assistant Referee review resulted in Balogun receiving a red card for making contact with Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic’s ankle with his boot. The contact appeared unintentional, and no card had been issued on the field initially — but the VAR review changed everything, forcing the U.S. to finish the match with ten men.
The moment briefly threatened to cast a shadow over everything Balogun had contributed. It also brought back difficult memories for American soccer supporters of Tim Weah’s red card against Panama at the 2024 Copa America, when the U.S. fell apart and was eliminated in the group stage on home soil.
This time, the outcome was different. Rather than crumbling under the pressure, coach Mauricio Pochettino’s squad stayed organized and disciplined, holding their shape while still threatening on the attack. Malik Tillman eventually doubled the lead with a free kick, sealing the win despite the numerical disadvantage.
“We had to dig deep for that one,” said Christian Pulisic.
“Obviously, I felt we put on such a good performance and didn’t deserve the red card. I mean, I didn’t see it, but it’s unfortunate. But for us to dig in deep, get another goal and defend the way we did, it took a real team effort, but we’re proud of that,” Pulisic added.
For Balogun, the evening was a study in contrasts — another sharp finish that cemented his role as the centerpiece of the U.S. attack, followed by a suspension that will force him to watch from the sidelines when the Americans take on Belgium in the round of 16 in Seattle on Monday.
The U.S. showed Wednesday they can survive without him. Come Monday, they’ll need to prove they can do it again — right from the opening whistle.
