SANTA CLARA, CA — The U.S. men’s national team walked off the pitch with a 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday, but the win came with a bitter aftertaste that had little to do with the scoreline.
Folarin Balogun’s red card in the 54th minute—a decision that will sideline him for the round-of-16 clash against Belgium—might have been easier to accept if referee Raphael Claus hadn’t let the game spiral into chaos long before that moment.
From the opening whistle, Claus seemed out of his depth. Tyler Adams was manhandled like he’d stumbled into a wrestling ring. Balogun himself was shoved repeatedly without a whistle. At one point, a Bosnia player pushed goalkeeper Matt Freese’s head into the turf as he sprinted by—no call.
The most glaring example came in the 82nd minute. Malik Tillman’s right foot was bleeding through his sock after a stomp that went unpunished. Moments later, he scored the insurance goal from a free kick that wasn’t even awarded for that foul. It was that kind of night.
Claus issued just one yellow card aside from Balogun’s red. In a knockout tournament game, that’s not just lenient—it’s dangerous.
“So unfortunate. It seems so harsh,” said Christian Pulisic, who consoled Balogun immediately after the card was shown.
The incident itself: Balogun raked his cleats down the back of Tarik Muharemovic’s calf and stepped on his ankle. It wasn’t malicious, nor intentional. A yellow card? Sure. But a straight red? That’s a tough sell.
“That was a normal action in football,” said USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino. “It happened by accident and it’s never intentional.”
What stings most for the Americans is the inconsistency. Similar plays in this tournament have gone unpunished. Claus let the game’s physicality fester, and when he finally pulled out a card, it was the harshest possible one.
“Obviously the ref made the decision that he made, but I think it’s questionable,” said Weston McKennie. “There have been many other plays like that throughout the tournament on other players where a card wasn’t given at all. So it’s disappointing.”
Refereeing a fast-paced game is difficult. Split-second calls are hard. But if you’re not up to the task—and Claus clearly wasn’t—you shouldn’t be on this stage.
This isn’t about homerism. It’s about consistency and control. When a referee loses the game, players get hurt. Both teams deserved better.
The USMNT now faces Belgium without their most dynamic attacker. And the lingering question isn’t about Balogun’s tackle—it’s about why Claus let everything else slide.
Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
