Дэлхийн аваргын шөвгийн 16-д АНУ-ын довтлогч Фоларин Балогуныг оролцуулах шийдвэр гаргасан нь Бельгийн дасгалжуулагч Руди Гарсиагийн зүгээс шүүмжлэлтэй тулгарч, хөлбөмбөгийн ёс зүйг хөндсөн үйлдэл хэмээн мэдэгдлээ.
Босни ба Херцеговины эсрэг тоглолтод улаан хуудас авсан Фоларин Балогуны нэг тоглолтын торгуулийг ФИФА гэнэтийн шийдвэрээр цуцалсан нь хөлбөмбөгийн ертөнцийг цочирдууллаа. Бельгийн хөлбөмбөгийн холбоо энэхүү шийдвэрийг хөлбөмбөгийн шударга ёсонд харшилсан хэмээн үзэж, холбогдох арга хэмжээг судлахаа мэдэгдсэн юм. Дасгалжуулагч Руди Гарсиа уг шийдвэрийг Дэлхийн аваргын түүхэнд урьд өмнө гарч байгаагүй, инээдтэй хэрэг хэмээн тодорхойлж, багийнхаа бэлтгэл болон зорилгод анхаарлаа хандуулж байгаагаа илэрхийлэв.
АНУ-ын шигшээ багийн хувьд Фоларин Балогун нь тус тэмцээнд гурван гоол оруулж, тогтмол үр дүнтэй тоглож буй гол довтлогч юм. Хаалгач Тибо Куртуа энэхүү маргаантай шийдвэрийг холбогдох байгууллагад үлдээж, баг нь зөвхөн талбай дээрх тоглолтдоо төвлөрөн, Фоларин Балогуны хурд болон АНУ-ын довтолгооны хувилбаруудад бэлтгэж байгаагаа дурдлаа.
Хоёр багийн хувьд гуравдугаар сард нөхөрсөг тоглолт хийхэд Бельги 5-2 харьцаагаар хожсон ч энэ удаагийн Дэлхийн аваргад АНУ Маурисио Почеттиногийн удирдлага дор тун хүчирхэг тоглолтыг үзүүлж байна. Бельги шөвгийн 32-т Сенегалыг 3-2-оор буулган авсан бол АНУ Босни ба Херцеговиныг 2-0 харьцаагаар хожиж шөвгийн 16-д шалгарсан юм.
Дэлгэрэнгүй эх сурвалжийг харах
Эх сурвалжийг нээх ↓
SEATTLE — Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia said the Belgian soccer federation was not “just defending itself or the national team, it’s defending football in general,” with its reaction to FIFA’s controversial decision to suspend the one-game red card ban for U.S. national team forward Folarin Balogun.
Balogun, who was sent off in the United States’ 2-0 round-of-32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, was due to miss his team’s round-of-16 clash against Belgium. But in a decision that shocked the soccer world, FIFA informed U.S. Soccer on Sunday morning that Balogun’s ban was suspended and he was available for selection.
“The Belgian federation isn’t just defending itself or the national team; it’s defending football in general — its integrity and its ethics,” Garcia said in French, via a translator.
“As far as I recall, I think this is the first time in World Cup history that a decision like this has been made. Anyway, I’m the coach, so I’m going to focus on my team and the match — it doesn’t matter who makes up the USA’s starting lineup. What matters to me is the pitch, my team, winning, and reaching the quarterfinals.”
Garcia added: “I didn’t know that at the World Cup July 5 is actually April 1. It’s April Fools.”
Before Garcia’s press conference, the Belgian federation released a statement saying it was “astonished” by the decision and was “investigating all potential options”.
Balogun’s red card is automatically accompanied by a one-game suspension under Article 10.5 of FIFA’s rules for the tournament. Multiple FIFA officials told The Athletic after the game that a team is not able to appeal against a red card or the subsequent suspension.
“Nothing changes, we focus on the game to win on the pitch,” star goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said through a translator. “As for the rest, it’s up to the football federation to reply as they did.”
Garcia, alongside Courtois, spoke to media on Sunday afternoon (Bruno Fahy / Belga Mag / Belga / AFP via Getty Images)
After a few questions at the press conference about FIFA’s decision and U.S. President Donald Trump’s social media message praising the decision, Garcia asked the media for sporting questions and referred any further comment to the federation’s statement.
Balogun’s presence is a huge boost for the United States. He is the team’s leading scorer at this World Cup (three goals) and best forward. He has registered at least one goal contribution in every World Cup game he has played in so far.
“We always prepare for all the possibilities,” Courtois said. “(Balogun is) very fast, a different profile than Pepi but they’re all good strikers. They have a lot of quality up front.”
Belgium beat the United States 5-2 in a March friendly, but the fortunes of both teams have vastly changed since then. The U.S. changed tactics and is in the midst of easily the best run of form in the Mauricio Pochettino era. Belgium has seldom flashed similar attacking prowess at this World Cup as it did in March.
“We’re expecting a tough game,” Courtois said.
Belgium came from behind in dramatic fashion to advance over Senegal 3-2 in the round-of-32, while the U.S. controlled their match against Bosnia and won 2-0.
