Cincinnati watch parties are planned for Monday night as the United States Men’s National Team takes on Belgium in the Round of 16 at the World Cup. The USMNT received a major boost to its lineup when FIFA announced striker Folarin Balogun can play despite being shown a red card in last week’s win over Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Balogun’s Suspension Reversed

Balogun, 25, is the USMNT’s leading scorer in the tournament, having scored three goals so far, including the first goal in last week’s Round of 32 win. His red card was overturned after a review of the incident, and he will be available for the Round of 16 match against Belgium.

According to reports, President Donald Trump intervened on behalf of Balogun, calling FIFA president Gianni Infantino after the match and asking for a red card review. However, FIFA has not confirmed whether the president’s call played a role in the review.

USMNT Fans React

Cole Joniak, a USMNT fan from Cincinnati, is excited to see Balogun back in action. ‘For FIFA to stand back behind him, it was kind of like, all right. But then for them to reverse course and be like he’s able to play, that was exciting to hear,’ he said.

Another fan, Matt Pizzuto, believes that Balogun’s return will give the team a morale boost. ‘I obviously think it’s better and the morale is better for the team,’ he added.

The USMNT and Belgium will kickoff in the Round of 16 at 8 p.m. Monday night from Seattle.

Original reporting: WLWT Cincinnati — read the source article.