‘It’s been surreal’: USMNT’s Folarin Balogun moves on from controversial red card

The brief

Folarin Balogun fielded questions on the morning of his 25th birthday, though the cards being discussed weren’t filled with kind notes and two-dollar bills. Per Fifa rules, the striker was unable to speak to the media following the United States’ World Cup last-32 triumph over Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he opened the scoring in a commanding 2-0 win but was sent off after receiving a red card in the second half. As the clouds parted over Seattle on Friday to start the team’s second set of training days in the Pacific north-west, Balogun seemed to be closer to making peace with his certain absence for the last 16 against Belgium,…