Balogun’s cleat raked the back of a Bosnian opponent’s calf as both lunged for the ball, leading to a red card that Pochettino strongly disagreed with, saying Balogun never intended to injure his opponent.
Pochettino wanted to appeal the card, until he was told it was not possible within FIFA rules.
“He’s very disappointed,” Pochettino said of his star forward. “He’s sad. But also he’s happy because we qualified.”
The pro-U.S. crowd went quiet, then roared with boos, after the red card because it recognized the decision’s long-reaching damage.
The U.S. was not only down to 10 men for the final 35 minutes Wednesday, but it will also play without Balogun against Belgium because a red card triggers a one-game suspension. Balogun was not made available to speak with reporters after the match, a U.S. spokesman said, citing a FIFA rule.
“We told him that we’ve got his back,” defender Chris Richards said. “We know we’re a team of 26, not just one.”
The emotions of U.S. players, already charged playing on home soil, could have turned against them.
“How they managed the situation,” Pochettino said, “was amazing.”
Perhaps that was because they have done it before.
When a calf injury sidelined Christian Pulisic midway through its first game of the group stage, the U.S. closed out that win, then shutout Australia in its next game as Pulisic stayed out of the lineup.
Pochettino said the U.S. would choose from “different options” to replace Balogun against Belgium. One candidate, Hadji Wright, said he would be ready if called upon.
“One-hundred percent confident in the boys,” Wright said. “We’re a gritty team. We know what to do in those situations.”
Said Pulisic, in a post-match interview with FOX: “For us to dig in deep like that and get another goal and to defend like we did, it took a real team effort. We’re proud of that.”
That team effort required the second shutout of the tournament for a defense that was seen as a potential weak link entering the World Cup.
That unit will now plan for a Belgium team that won by coming back from a 2-0 deficit by scoring in the 86th and 89th minutes and then the final moments of extra time. The Red Devils boast well-known — if aging — stars like Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Leandro Trossard.
A win also took Tillman’s breakout moment.
Raised in Germany, where he now plays professionally, Tillman was asked before the World Cup began to play in a slightly different role in the midfield.
Teammates had praised his effort during the tournament, and Pochettino has called him “an amazing player full of talent,” but his contributions had gone mostly under-the-radar, befitting his reserved personality. Until Wednesday, after his cold-blooded goal.
“I’m a different type of person on the pitch,” Tillman said. “Maybe you don’t really see my emotions, but if you score a goal like this, I think you guys saw my emotions.”
Tillman smiled slyly. More important, he said, was that on Wednesday, the U.S. saw it can win in adverse conditions.
“Of course, we’re going to miss (Balogun),” Tillman said. “But I think we have great players who can replace him.”
