Belgium gets last laugh after Trump intervenes in Balogun red card

▪ Red card drama ends with U.S. letdown

▪ Platner faces calls to drop out

▪ Michigan Senate debate tonight

▪ McConnell health speculation

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Belgium lost the battle but won the war against the U.S. as its men’s World Cup team dominated their knockout round match Monday night to win 4-1.

The presence of the U.S.’s star player Folarin Balogun ultimately didn’t make much of a difference, as he was held scoreless.

The U.S. fell behind early, giving up a goal within the first 10 minutes before briefly tying the game. Belgium almost immediately retook the lead two minutes later and never gave it up after that.

The U.S. low point came when goalkeeper Matt Freese mishandled the ball well outside his net early in the second half, giving up a third goal as the Belgians padded their lead.

The result was a stark anticlimax for the rising U.S. team, especially following President Trump’s intervention that helped lead to a red-card suspension against Balogun to be overturned, allowing him to play the round of 16 match.

“It’s one thing to penalize somebody for the game, but how do you penalize them for a game that hasn’t been played yet? You can’t do that. That’s unfair. So yes, I asked for a review by FIFA,” Trump told reporters Monday, confirming his call to FIFA President Gianni Infantino spurred the review.

“All I did was ask for a review. I didn’t say ‘you have to do this,’” he said.

Balogun received the red card for an incident in which he stepped on the ankle of a player for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s team during the U.S.’s 2-0 victory last week in the first knockout round. It appeared accidental and wasn’t immediately called for a red card.

Still, the leader of one country personally weighing in to pressure FIFA to change a decision created quite a stir within the global soccer community. FIFA hadn’t overturned a red card, which automatically carries an additional game suspension, in the World Cup since 1962, according to The New York Times.

Belgium’s coach and players protested the decision, making a last-minute appeal to FIFA to reconsider, which was denied.

“We’re not defending the national team or federation. … We are defending football,” Belgium’s coach Rudi Garcia said Sunday.

Trump has had a close relationship with Infantino, who has previously praised the president and awarded him a FIFA Peace Prize in December for his diplomatic efforts.

But Belgium’s team got the last laugh, one that they seemed to milk after the controversy. The players were seen following their victory apparently mocking Trump’s arm-pumping dance during political rallies, and the team trolled the U.S. in multiple social media posts.

“Overturn this,” Belgium posted with an image of one of their players celebrating his goal.

Trump said ahead of the game that if Balogun wasn’t allowed to play and Belgium had won, the tournament would be “rigged” against the U.S., alluding to his false claims about the 2020 presidential election.

But if Belgium defeated the U.S. at full strength, they will have defeated the best team the U.S. could offer, Trump said.

The defeat brings an end to one of America’s best World Cup performances ever, in which they topped their group with back-to-back victories, won their first knockout stage game in more than two decades and scored a U.S. record of 8 goals.

Their run drew millions of fans across the country, many of whom were new to soccer, contributing to the sport’s growing popularity in the country. Canada and Mexico also lost their round of 16 matchups this week, leaving no co-hosts left in the tournament. 

Belgium faces Spain on Friday for a chance at the semifinals.

▪ The New York Times: Future is bright for soccer in the U.S.

▪ USA Today: Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career ends with Portugal loss.

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Michael Cohen,........

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