Will Folarin Balogun start vs. Belgium? USMNT likely had Ricardo Pepi plan in place before red-card decision

Will Folarin Balogun start vs. Belgium? USMNT likely had Ricardo Pepi plan in place before red-card decision originally appeared on The Sporting News.
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Folarin Balogun wasn’t supposed to be available to play for the United States against Belgium.

That changed on Sunday, when news broke that his one-match red-card suspension is being held off — the USMNT striker can be on the pitch when the U.S. takes on the Belgians on Monday night in Seattle in the World Cup Round of 16.

That’s hugely significant for the USA, of course, but it enters a fascinating wrench into the equation.

It seems likely that the U.S. spent most of the week coming up with a plan for a lineup that didn’t involve Balogun.

So now what?

MORE: How Folarin Balogun is allowed to play vs. Belgium after red card

Will Folarin Balogun start against Belgium?

This is likely the main question that U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino will be asked, and it’s unlikely that he’ll give a super definitive answer.

Balogun has obviously still been training, and he would’ve wanted to get himself ready to be re-inserted back into the lineup for a potential quarterfinal matchup with either Spain or Portugal.

Now, though, the U.S. has the option to use Balogun immediately.

They were likely putting together a gameplan around Ricardo Pepi as the striker for the Belgium match. Pepi has some of the same traits as Balogun, so if that really was the plan, then maybe putting Balogun back in won’t be a big deal.

Clearly, the U.S. has been playing with Balogun in the striker spot already this tournament, so his teammates around him will be up to speed on how to work with him.

This decision likely comes down to simply whether the U.S. wants to make a late change to their approach, or if they stick with Pepi and plan on Balogun off the bench.

The logical bet is that Balogun starts, but it could be a game-time call.

More FIFA World Cup news: