US striker Folarin Balogun says a yellow card, not red card, would have been ‘fair’ at the World Cup

SEATTLE (AP) — United States forward Folarin Balogun said Friday he respectfully disagrees with his red card in the Americans' 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina in the World Cup.

Balogun was sent off Wednesday for stepping on the right ankle of Tarik Muharemovic.

Before practice at Husky Soccer Stadium, Balogun said a yellow card for the illegal tackle would have been fairer.

“There’s nowhere else to put your leg. It’s going to be unavoidable,” Balogun said. “So, I’ve seen many different opinions and takes. But, for me personally, I think a yellow card would have been fair. It’s something that’s happened, so we have to move forward and I have to accept it.”

Balogun has to serve an automatic one-game suspension and will miss Monday’s Round of 16 game against Belgium. There is no appeal process for a red-card suspension unless FIFA assesses a penalty of more than one game, which was not the case with Balogun. He will be eligible to return for the quarterfinals should the Americans advance.

Balogun has three goals in the tournament, including one to give the U.S. the lead against Bosnia. He has matched Landon Donovan in 2010 for the second-most goals by an American in a World Cup, behind only Bert Patenaude’s four in the initial tournament in 1930.

The 25-year-old striker celebrated his goal against Bosnia with the “Silencer” move used by the NBA’s LeBron James, which the league’s career scoring leader also celebrated on social media. Balogun, who became the first U.S. player to score two goals in a World Cup match since 1930, said he has experienced a “roller coaster” of emotions as of late.

“Been upset, I’ve been happy. It’s been surreal, to be honest,” Balogun said. “But for me, I think it was just important to stay calm. I never want to react out of anger and out of emotion. There’s still lots of people who are inspiring little kids, boys and girls who are watching. We have to show them the correct way to handle things, even when you think it’s unjust.”

It's not yet clear who U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino will select to replace Balogun in the starting lineup. Ricardo Pepi and Haji Wright are the most likely candidates.

When Christian Pulisic sat out the 2-0 win against Australia in group play because of a calf injury, Pepi started in his place.

“When you miss a player like Balo, things change a little bit, but we’ve been flexible,” teammate Tyler Adams said. “Guys have shown that they’re ready to play. If it’s Pepi, if it’s Haji, we go a different direction. It should be an exciting opportunity for whoever has to step up.”

Belgium is aware of the Americans' offensive capabilities outside of Balogun. Pulisic has 33 goals in 89 international appearances, fifth most in U.S. history. Five players other than Balogun have scored for the U.S. in the tournament.

“They have a lot of danger in the team,” Belgium defender Maxim De Cuyper said. “Lot of quality. I don’t want to say too much, which qualities are the best. But, I think they grew a lot in this tournament. You see they are in good flow. They play at home, I think it’s very dangerous for us. So, we will be prepared.”

To be without Balogun for one of the most significant matches in U.S. history is still a significant blow. A victory on home soil would secure a spot in the quarterfinals of the World Cup for only the second time for the Americans. The first was in 2002.

“I love seeing how engaged the country is in our journey and what they’re doing,” Balogun said. “So, my role is just to continue supporting everybody, to keep morale high. And, I’m sure for the game against Belgium we can really create a great atmosphere to win.”

Midfielder Cristian Roldan trained on his own again as he continues to rehab a quad injury. Defender Mark McKenzie trained in full after dealing with a foot injury that sidelined him for the Bosnia match.

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

United States' Folarin Balogun, center, gets a hug from United States' Christian Pulisic (10) after being issued a red card by Referee Raphael Claus, of Brazil, during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between the United States and Bosnia in Santa Clara, Calif., near San Francisco, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

United States' Folarin Balogun (20) fouls Bosnia's Tarik Muharemovic (4), resulting in a red card go Balogun, during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between the United States and Bosnia in Santa Clara, Calif., near San Francisco, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

United States' Folarin Balogun (20) gets a pat on the head from Bosnia's Sead Kolasinac (5) as United States' Christian Pulisic (10) stands by after receiving a red card during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between the United States and Bosnia in Santa Clara, Calif., near San Francisco, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

United States' Folarin Balogun (20) reacts to a red card during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between the United States and Bosnia in Santa Clara, Calif., near San Francisco, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

United States' Folarin Balogun (20) reacts to a red card during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between the United States and Bosnia in Santa Clara, Calif., near San Francisco, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Festivities commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence ramped up across the United States on Friday as demonstrations of national pride — and hints of political polarization — were balanced with efforts to stay safe as much of the country baked under extreme heat.

President Donald Trump was on his way to South Dakota to deliver a speech and watch fireworks at Mount Rushmore. And in a novel twist, there will be a ball drop in New York City's Times Square at midnight to usher in the July Fourth holiday with much the same revelry that is typically reserved for New Year’s Eve.

The sound of fighter jets on military flyovers shook the nation's capital. In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivered his own address on the country’s 250th anniversary that cast America as a nation of contradictions “working each day towards the perfection in which it was conceived.”

By early afternoon in Washington, hundreds of people were roaming the grounds of the National Mall, home to The Great American State Fair. They snapped photos of the flyovers and tried to cool off inside tents that offered $9 lemonades and $23 turkey legs. Many were dressed in patriotic colors, their faces glistening with sweat.

Glenn Brooks, who was pardoned by Trump for his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, said he was “thankful to be participating in this grand event.”

The activity culminates in the main event Saturday, when fireworks will erupt in communities across the U.S., along with backyard cookouts and block parties. Trump will deliver another speech at the National Mall in Washington before what is being billed as a historically massive fireworks show.

But for all the celebrations, there are also serious safety considerations as potentially record heat grips much of the Midwest and East Coast. Officials have warned those celebrating the holiday to stay hydrated and take air-conditioned breaks as needed.

Philadelphia canceled its Salute to Independence parade Friday. The Great American State Fair in Washington shut down in the early afternoon before reopening at 5 p.m.

The National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat warning for much of the Midwest, mid-Atlantic and Northeast from eastern Kansas to southern Maine, including the cities of St. Louis, Indianapolis, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and Boston. The weather service said peak heat indexes, which combine air temperature with humidity, of up to 115 Fahrenheit (46.11 Celsius) are possible.

As the rest of the country struggled under stifling heat, the Pacific Northwest enjoyed temperatures in the 60s with even a few light showers.

World Cup soccer fans in Seattle were staying cool Friday as they got psyched up for Monday’s big game between the U.S. and Belgium. In the nearby suburb of Issaquah, Megan Kurowski, 31, brought her two dogs to the dog park so they could get some exercise before she went to work.

Kurowski said she was feeling positive about America’s 250th anniversary and was planning a possible paddleboard to watch the fireworks.

“Everyone’s just, from what it seems, been pretty excited about celebrating 250 years,” she said.

The holiday is unfolding at a unique time in the U.S. The anniversary has served as an opportunity for the country to reflect on its history while also reminding it of the political polarization of the moment.

In New York, Mamdani, a Democrat, did not mention Trump by name, but parts of his speech appeared aimed at the president’s divisive rhetoric.

“For generation after generation, we have been told that when the world has sent its people to our shores, it has not sent its best,” Mamdani said in an apparent reference to an a common criticism from Trump. “Those ideals upon which our nation was built — they are strong enough to endure any authoritarian regime, but only if we reach for them."

Freedom 250, an organization aligned with the White House, has come to rival America250, a bipartisan group founded by Congress a decade ago. Freedom 250 has organized much of the activity in Washington, including the Great American State Fair. America250 is behind the ball drops unfolding in many cities, including New York, and will host a concert in Los Angeles on Saturday.

About 4 in 10 U.S. adults feel “proud” about the country’s 250th anniversary, according to an April survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Roughly 3 in 10 said “excited” describes their emotions.

Ahead of the holiday, auto technician Joe Fuqua-Bejarano, in Topeka, Kansas, sized up “what makes us awesome” as a people. It is clearly not the politics, in his view, but rather resilience.

“We’ve just all got to find unity somewhere, whether that’s in laughter or perseverance, and keep everybody cool,” he said from the fireworks stand where he is doing a booming business as a side hustle.

Christina Zhou, a 25-year-old research assistant from Cambridge, Massachusetts, said she would aim to “think about just things that are happening locally.”

“It feels a little bit more like within our own personal control," she said.

Jerry Chin of Newcastle, Washington, said he wasn’t aware that the U.S. was celebrating its 250th anniversary and planned to stay low-key around the holiday. He and his wife generally skip the fireworks and instead stay home with their fearful dogs to keep them calm.

“America’s a great place, but there are some concerns,” he said. Chin, 55, and his wife worry about healthcare and issues around staying healthy, but they also stress about politics.

“We’re Democrats, so kind of given up hope,” he said. “Just feel that it is the way it is. I don’t know if there could be change.”

At the National Archives in Washington, visitors made their way through the Rotunda to look at the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights -- and to escape the heat outside.

Michael Dresdner, 60, traveled from West Orange, New Jersey, with his wife, Cindi, 57, and about two dozen other people to be part of the America 250 celebrations. He said their group of travelers included people on both sides of the political aisle -- and that is what gave him hope for the future of American democracy.

“We are all here, and we all love America,” he said.

Peoples reported from New York. Associated Press writers Martha Bellisle in Seattle, Anthony Izaguirre in New York, John Hanna in Topeka, Kan., Michael Casey in Cambridge, Mass., and Calvin Woodward, Didi Tang, Gary Fields and Nathan Ellgren in Washington contributed to this report.

Military aircraft fly over the National Mall near the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex, Friday, July 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Medics carry a gurney through the grounds of the Great American State Fair after the event was closed for the afternoon due to extreme heat on the National Mall, Friday, July 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)

An attendee rides the carousel at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, Friday, July 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

Attendees walk at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, Friday, July 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

Vendors distribute ice at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, Friday, July 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds fly over the National Mall, Friday, July 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Military aircraft fly over the National Mall near the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex, Friday, July 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Runners wearing Independence Day-themed items jog at dawn past an overlook in Arlington, Va., as Washington prepares for sweltering temperatures, Friday, July 3, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

A military jet does a flyover of the National Mall, Thursday, July 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Fencing surrounds the area for the America 250 celebration near the Washington Monument on the National Mall, Thursday, July 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani talks with a group of recently naturalized US citizens after he delivered a speech to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States at City Hall on Friday July 3, 2026 in New York. (Anna Connors/The New York Times via AP, Pool)

A U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing (STOVL) does a flyover of the National Mall, Thursday, July 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivers a speech to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States at City Hall on Friday, July 3, 2026 in New York. (Anna Connors/The New York Times via AP, Pool)

The Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and U.S. Capitol are seen at dawn as joggers run past an overlook in Arlington, Va., Friday, July 3, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Visitors react to the heat while attending the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, Wednesday, July 1, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)

A member of the Texas State Troopers pours cold water over his head during an extreme head advisory near the Lincoln Memorial, while providing extra security ahead of the America 250 July 4th celebration, Thursday, July 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)

Statue of Liberty stands next to Empire State Building, left, in New York, as seen from Jersey City, N.J., Sunday, May 31, 2026 (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Drones put on a show in the sky near independence hall in Philadelphia on Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Jack Auresto)