Source : the age
United States striker Folarin Balogun will be available for their World Cup last-16 clash with Belgium after FIFA suspended his ban for a red card on Sunday in an unprecedented move that was welcomed by US president Donald Trump.
Balogun scored his third goal of the World Cup in the 2-0 win over Bosnia but was shown a red card in the second half for planting his boot into the ankle of Tarik Muharemovic, leaving the US to navigate the remainder of the game a man down.
The 25-year-old was sent off after a VAR review, with US coach Mauricio Pochettino saying it was never a sending-off but FIFA is allowing him to play – without rescinding the red card.
“In line with article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year,” FIFA said in a statement.
“If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.”
Gabriel Martinelli has replaced the injured Lucas Paqueta in Brazil’s only change against Norway, who recalled Julian Ryerson after injury.
Martinelli, who scored the winner against Japan, starts on the left of Carlo Ancelotti’s diamond. Rayan, 19, keeps his place in attack alongside Vinicius Jr and Matheus Cunha, with Raphinha and Neymar on the bench after injuries.
Ryerson returns to Norway’s starting line-up after missing the win over Ivory Coast, with Marcus Holmgren Pedersen dropping to the bench.
Erling Haaland leads Norway’s attack, with captain Martin Odegaard starting against the five-times world champions.
Brazil: Alisson; Danilo, Gabriel Magalhaes, Marquinhos, Douglas Santos; Casemiro, Bruno Guimaraes, Gabriel Martinelli; Matheus Cunha, Rayan, Vinicius Jr
Norway: Orjan Nyland, Kristoffer Ajer, Torbjorn Heggem, David Moller Wolfe, Julian Ryerson, Martin Odegaard, Sander Berge, Patrick Berg, Alexander Sorloth, Antonio Nusa, Erling Haaland
Here we are again, and it’s day two of the round of 16.
Up today is:
Brazil v Norway in New York, 6am AEST
Mexico v England in Mexico City, 10am AEST
Both games feel like they could be decent-to-solid viewing. Put it this way … they both offer more football and less of the other stuff served up by Paraguay yesterday in their loss to France.
We’ll be here today until just after lunch to cover both of these games and other World Cup news of the day.
