Author: alaskaadmin

All eyes are on the USA on Monday night in Seattle with one position that will be everyone’s focus. Star striker Folarin Balogun being available for the United States is obviously a massive storyline. Ricardo Pepi — the presumptive replacement as the striker — is a different player, albeit one who’s very capable. It’s still a boost for the USA to have Balogun available. Let’s break down the matchup. The obvious storyline for the USA lineup entering this game was Balogun’s absence and Ricardo Pepi likely replacing him as the starting striker. Overall, there’s a clear starting lineup that’s preferred by head coach Mauricio Pochettino, so he’ll likely stick with Balogun starting for the U.S. ahead of a massive game. But maybe Pepi sees some action too. With Pepi, though, you would get someone who works hard defensively and is a very good presser of the opposing defense further up the field. Balogun is probably a bit more of a threat with his runs behind opposing defenses, while Pepi is not known for his speed to get in behind the back line. Pepi is still lethal in the 18-yard box, where it’s less about making runs behind defenses, using speed or tricky dribbling to get a shot off. While Balogun can use his speed to make things happen, Pepi finds the right positions and has very good technique when finishing. USA Player To Watch I think the focus of this game will be on Christian. It will be crucial for him to create moments throughout the entire attack. I think he’s going to be the guy who makes everything tick going forward. I don’t expect us to have loads of time on the ball to pick a pass in this game. I see success in this one against Belgium coming from wide position and getting the ball into the box with late runners, whether it’s Balogun or Weston McKennie making a run, Sergiño coming in on the weak side or Malik Tillman near the top of the box. Any good moments for us in attack are likely to come from Christian on the left wing, getting in attacking positions and then picking his spots to make a key pass with players crashing in to attack it. Belgium has a right to be frustrated, but on the other hand, it’s not like it won’t have time to change the game plan. For me, it won’t make a massive difference in terms of preparation. All you have to do is look at clips of the opponent, and you’ll quickly recognize the differences between Pepi and Balogun, which are pretty straightforward. I don’t think Belgium should try to make this a distraction from the preparation it’s in the middle of right now. It needs to focus on itself and how it’s going to best prepare the team, without getting drawn into the drama that’s unfolding in front of our eyes with this news. Belgium will definitely have the most quality of any team that we’ve faced so far. It will be the toughest challenge in terms of an opponent that can keep possession and have talent around the field. That shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. It’s a lot of the old guard that has thrived over the past decade-plus. Thibaut Courtois is still in goal with Kevin De Bruyne in midfield and Romelu Lukaku leading the attack. If you look at Belgium’s games in this tournament already, though, it’s not dominating the ball. For example, Egypt had 46% possession against the Red Devils in the group stage. With that, I’d expect close to a 50-50 split on Sunday in Seattle. Belgium Player To Watch Even though he came off in the 56th minute against Senegal in the round of 32, it’s still Doku. De Bruyne is getting older, but his mobility was never his biggest threat. That’s his passing ability. Doku brings a big challenge with his pace and dribbling, one that was on display when these teams faced off back in March in a friendly. Alex Freeman is going to have another good performance on the right side of the USA’s defense to contain the Manchester City winger.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Star forward Folarin Balogun will be able to play for the U.S. men’s national team in its round of 16 match against Belgium on Monday after a surprising reversal by FIFA. But that decision might make the USA squad a villain for the rest of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, FOX Sports soccer analyst Alexi Lalas argued. “Long live Article 27. If you’ve got a problem with it, take it up with FIFA,” Lalas said during FOX Sports’ “World Cup Live.” “This is some surprising, but very, very welcome news to the U.S. men’s national team.” “I will say this: It is now USA vs. the world after this decision,” Lalas continued, “because any support or a treaty or benefit of the doubt kind of just went out the window with this, because we will be seen after this, and we’re already starting to see, some of this as being given special treatment right now. But you know what, it doesn’t matter. Us against the world, that’s fine.” The FIFA Disciplinary Committee initially gave Balogun an automatic one-game red card suspension and, with the reversal, he has since placed him on a one-year probation under Chapter 4, Article 27 of the disciplinary code due to his red card in the USA’s win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Balogun scored the game-winning goal in the 2-0 victory but was later shown a straight red card following a VAR review. Standard protocols suggest the play should not have been flagged to referee Raphael Claus, who had not cautioned Balogun on the field during the live sequence. Because U.S. Soccer had no formal avenue to appeal the decision under standard regulations, the governing body stepped in directly to apply the probation clause. Beyond the decision to clear the USA’s leading goalscorer, the timing of the decision remains a primary point of criticism. The ruling was confirmed just one day before the knockout match, forcing both coaching staffs to adjust their plans. Thierry Henry, who coached Belgium as an assistant manager during two separate stints from 2016-2018, noted that the reversal places an unfair burden on the Belgian side, which had spent days planning for an American lineup without its primary striker. “That’s exactly what it is for Belgium, breaking news,” Henry explained. “That must have broke their spirit a tiny bit because also you prepare the game to play a certain way and then suddenly, you have to change also your preparation of the game.” Lalas agreed with the Belgian perspective, but he said the USA squad shouldn’t take it into account. “I do agree with you that it hurts the preparation for Belgium. [and] what they prepared for, and now they’re going to have to change it,” Lalas said. “But I don’t think Mauricio Pochettino cares.” With Balogun returning to the starting lineup and Ricardo Pepi likely reverting to the bench, Lalas concluded that having the full complement of attacking players is necessary to advance. “In order for the US to win this game tomorrow, right here against Belgium, they need all guns blazing, and without a gun in Flo Balogun, that was a big, big miss,” Lalas explained. “Happy to see this guy who’s had such a wonderful tournament, and we don’t want to be deprived of stars, and make no mistake, he is a star.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports