WELL, FIFA TRIED TO MESS THINGS UP BUT ...

 A NOT-SO-FINE MESS.

Editor’s note: We wrote this when it happened then shipped 

it off to be saved rather than to the blog. Fortunately – or 

otherwise, the choice is yours – we ran across it by accident 

… and decided to run it albeit just a bit late. 

Hey, if you really want to screw up things, well, the 

governing body of international soccer, FIFA, has always 

been a willing partner. The latest ahh … f-up … involving 

USMNT star FOLARIN BALOGUNmight not be the 

greatest but it most certainly has taken away from – possibly 

ruined – what has been called ‘’the best futbol tournament of 

all time.”

To this point it has been an event that has focused on great 

plays and great players, its share of upsets and typical if not 

overly dramatic controversies that invariably go with The 

World’s Most Popular Sport … not to mention such

feel-good stories as little old Cape Verde (Pop: 519,418) scaring the game’s big boys (Spain 0-0 and losing 3-2 in 

overtime to defending champion Argentina in the knockout

round of 32.

… that is, until Balogun, was handed a red card in the USA’s 

Round of 32 win over Bosnia .. that automatically meant he 

wouldn’t be allowed to suit up for the next game.

“MASSIVE NEWS,” Fox studio host REBECCA LOWE

 called it Sunday, shortly after FIFA announced it had 

rescinded the red card. As a result, the team’s leader in goals 

scored at the World Cup (which bears the FIFA name) will 

get to play in Monday’s match with Belgium in Seattle after 

all … Balogun, who had the game-winning goal, his third in 

the 48-team tournament played every four years to 

determine a world-wide champion, was ejected after 

stepping on the heel and foot of TARIK 

MUHAREMOVIC ... which appeared to be accidental. 

The Americans protested but were told the play was not 

reviewable. Now FIFA, the governing body of international 

futbol, has changed its mind, citing Article 27 FDC … 

which apparently allowed the organization’s disciplinary 

committee to withdraw the game suspension and replace it 

with … “[He] is suspended for a probationary period of (1) 

year.” Whatever the heck that means.

News of Balogun’s reinstatement reached Team USA early 

Sunday morning. “I’m happy for him,” said coach

 MAURICIO POCHETTINO, “but … we all know it 

never should have been called.”

BELGIUM COACH RUDI GARCIA was more angered 

than stunned, considering FIFA has been notorious for doing 

the unexpected … not to mention being known for accepting 

bribes over the years.

“I didn’t know they celebrated April Fools Day on July 

sixth,” he said (among other things critical of the decision).

Said ALEXI LALAS, “This was great news [but] … I do 

think the good will this U.S. team had built up through the 

tournament … there will be some that will look at this, and 

whatever support or benefit of the doubt this team would 

have been given … that kind of goes out the window with 

this … as an unnecessary gift.”

While STU HOLDEN, like Lalas a former USMNT player 

turned Fox talking head, agreed – sort of. “I’m sure there are 

some that think this was an injustice,” Holden said, “but I 

think 99.9 percent agree with Pochettino … that this was the 

right decision.”

Count former men’s team (and UVA) coach BRUCE 

ARENAamong the minority here. Now running the MLS 

San J9se Earthquakes, he was quoted as saying (to the 

effect) that a foul, wether inadvertent or not, is still a foul, 

and this WAS a red-card offense.