Red Devils brace for US clash as pundits condemn red card

The Red Devils have secured a place in the World Cup round of 16 and will meet the United States, while analysts and the US coach decry a controversial red‑card decision that shaped the Bosnian match. Both sides now eye the upcoming clash. Belgium’s national side, known as the Red Devils, progressed to the last‑16 stage of the World Cup. Their next opponent is the United States, who earned the right to face them after their own victory. The United States impressed by defeating Bosnia and Herzegovina 2‑0 in the preceding round. After the win, coach Mauricio Pochettino said, “I am enormously proud. The players deserved everything.” Pochettino added that the Bosnian side was “very difficult to beat” and praised the supporters and the team’s overall performance. He also noted that the match became harder after the red card, but the squad showed they could fight as a unit.

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Balogun is expected to miss at least one match because of the red‑card suspension. The Belgian side will therefore likely line up without him against the United States. American analyst Colin Cowherd called the red‑card decision “an incredibly bad decision” on his podcast. He argued that even if Pepi is more than capable of replacing the dismissed player, the ruling was unjust. Cowherd claimed the referee was overruled by VAR and that the incident was incidental, not intended to injure. He emphasized that the rules differentiate yellow from red, and that there is no appeal against such a decision. The contrasting narratives—Belgium’s tactical preparation versus the United States’ officiating controversy—highlight the stakes of the upcoming encounter. Both teams now turn their focus to the round‑of‑16 match to determine who advances.