President Donald Trump has confirmed he asked Fifa to review United States striker Folarin Balogun’s one-match suspension at the World Cup.

Balogun, 25, was set to miss his side’s last-16 tie against Belgium after being shown a straight red card for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic in the previous round.

But Fifa made the shock decision to suspend the automatic one match ban for 12 months, leading to widespread criticism, including from Uefa, Belgium and England boss Thomas Tuchel.

Fifa’s decision frees US forward Balogun, who has scored three goals at this summer’s tournament, to be selected for the match in Seattle, which kicks off at 17:00 local time (01:00 BST on Tuesday).

The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) says it is “astonished” by the move and has told the United States Soccer Federation it “contests the eligibility” of Balogun playing in the tie after its appeal against the decision was dismissed.

Trump said football’s world governing body “made the right decision”, adding it would have left a “big stain” on the tournament had the ban been implemented.

Speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump said he had asked Fifa to review the decision because he “didn’t think it was a foul”.

He confirmed he had spoken to Fifa president Gianni Infantino but said “all” he did was ask for a review and added he did not tell the Swiss he had to suspend Balogun’s ban.

Trump added: “I think it [the suspension] would have left a big stain. I can’t tell them what to do. I don’t believe they made the decision; I believe it was the commission that made the decision. And it was the right decision.”

However, European football governing body Uefa said it left the integrity of football at stake.

Trump also said referee Raphael Claus’ decision to send off Balogun was “horrible” and called the Brazilian “a little bit suspect”.

In response, the Brazilian football conferdation (CBF) defended Claus’ integrity, stating: “There is nothing in his record that discredits him or gives grounds for any suspicion. He is an exemplary professional.”

In a statement on X, Infantino said that on receiving a call from Trump, he told the US President there was “an ongoing legal process involving Fifa’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies”.

The Fifa appeal committee deemed Belgium are not an interested party as they were not involved in the original decision and are merely the United States’ next opponents.

“The request was rendered inadmissible on the grounds that the Belgian FA is not a party to the proceedings and, as such, has no standing to appeal the decision,” said Fifa in a statement.

This means Balogun will be free to play against Belgium because there is no party who would appeal against the decision.

The RBFA said it has “still not received any grounds” for the Fifa appeal committee rejecting its appeal and is still awaiting information requested, including the “motivation [for] declearing the player eligible as well as the referee’s report”.

The RBFA added this is a “breach” of Fifa regulations.

When asked by BBC Sport about Trump’s comments and his view on Claus, Fifa said it had “nothing more” to add.

Infantino later stated Fifa’s judicial bodies were “independent” and rulings “must always be respected”.

He added: “I read the decisions of the Fifa Disciplinary Committee when they are issued. Sometimes I am surprised by them. Sometimes I agree with them, and sometimes I disagree.

“What I always do, however, is respect those decisions and the autonomy of the bodies that make them. Whether we personally like a decision or not is irrelevant.

“Respect for independent institutions and the rule of law is what protects the integrity of our competitions and the credibility of Fifa at all times.”

[BBC]

Mikel Merino scored in the first minute of second-half stoppage time, and Spain beat Portugal 1-0 on Monday to likely end the World Cup career of superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

After being fouled, Merino took a quick free kick, ran towards the goal and fired past goalkeeper Diogo Costa after a pass from Ferran Torres.

Spain advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time since winning its only World Cup title in 2010 in South Africa. La Roja will play either the USA or Belgium on Friday at Los Angeles Stadium.

Ronaldo was trying to get Portugal to the quarterfinals for a second consecutive tournament – something the nation has not achieved before. Instead, his career on the biggest stage is likely over for the all-time leader in international goals (146) and appearances (233).

Merino did not come on as a sub until the 85th minute, and his heads-up play showed some of the versatility that helped Arsenal win its first Premier League title in more than 20 years in May. He had been doubtful to make Spain’s squad because of injuries, which also impacted his Premier League season.

The latest meeting of the Iberian Peninsula rivals – who first played a friendly in Madrid 105 years ago – was quite the contrast to their most recent World Cup match.

It was eight years ago that Ronaldo had his only World Cup hat-trick in a 3-3 draw with Spain, a group-stage opener considered one of the tournament’s best games.

The 41-year-old superstar scored three times in this tournament, but did not have many chances against Spain’s Unai Simon.

La Roja had created better chances, but extra time and possibly penalties loomed until Merino’s late intervention.

Spain broke a World Cup record with its sixth consecutive clean sheet, and goalkeeper Simon extended his record shutout streak to 609 minutes.

Spain broke its tie with Italy (1990) and Switzerland (2006-10) for the most consecutive World Cup matches not allowing a goal. Spain’s streak began with a 0-0 draw in the 2022 round of 16, when Morocco advanced after a penalty shootout.

There was also a surprising scoreless draw against Cape Verde to open group play in this tournament, followed by four consecutive shutout victories to advance to the quarterfinals.

Simon surpassed the previous record of 517 consecutive scoreless minutes during a 3-0 blanking of Austria to open the knockout round on Thursday. Famed Italy goalkeeper Walter Zenga set the standard in 1990 with five consecutive clean sheets in his home World Cup.

Simon’s shutout streak started in 2022 in Qatar, during a 2-1 loss to Japan to wrap up group play.

He came into the Portugal game having made only four saves in this World Cup – Austria had no shots on target – and on Monday in Arlington, Simon had to make two saves in the first half against Portugal, both from shots by Cristiano Ronaldo.

The second of those saves was an impressive diving stop when he was still in midair after reaching back to grab the ball with both hands.

It was Newman Nyamhuri’s day – with bat and ball, and in the field. First, he scored a career-best 33 from No. 9 to push Zimbabwe from 70 for 8 to 141. Then he took two catches in the deep, the first of them an agile effort while tip-toeing the fine-leg boundary. Nyamhuri also broke Bangladesh’s 49-run fourth-wicket stand to open the floodgates for a memorable win. Zimbabwe successfully defended 141, beating Bangladesh by 25 runs.

It was a bowlers’ ODI played on a spicy pitch in Harare. Nahid Rana had made that much apparent by picking up 6 for 21, the best figures by a Bangladesh bowler in the format. The pace and bounce that tested Zimbabwe’s batters also troubled Bangladesh, as not a single over of spin was bowled out of the 33.1 needed for the defence.

Left-arm quick Richard Ngarava, leading Zimbabwe in an ODI for the first time, delivered with both bat and ball too. Ngarava added 63 with Nyamhuri for the ninth wicket, during which he scored 27. Fittingly, he took the final Bangladesh wicket to fall and finished with 3 for 31 to wrap victory.

Much of the damage Bangladesh sustained was of their own doing. After their top three batters threw their wickets away, Towhid Hridoy and Mehidy Hasan Miraz repeated the trick against deliveries they should ideally have put away to the boundary.

It all started in the second over, bowled by Blessing Muzarabani, as Tanzid Hasan pulled a short ball to Nyamhuri, who was placed a straighter than usual at fine leg. When Nyamhuri realised momentum was taking him beyond the boundary, he threw the ball back on the field of play, stepped over, then back in and calmly completed the catch. In the fourth over, Najmul Hossain Shanto sliced one to Ben Curran at deep third as Muzarabani got his second wicket. Three balls later, Soumya Sarkar slashed Ngarava to deep third as well, as Nyamhuri took his second catch.

Bangladesh were 17 for 3 and Zimbabwe sniffed an upset, but Hridoy and Nurul Hasan dug in. Ngarava used attacking fields – two slips were a given for much of the partnership – as both batters kept getting beaten. Hridoy and Nurul seemed in no hurry, but just when Bangladesh were beginning to gradually regain momentum, Hridoy, on 25, flashed at a short and wide ball outside off from Nyamhuri in the 19th over. Curran, at deep third, almost overran the ball before swiftly moving to his left to catch it.

From there, it all unraveled for Bangladesh. From 66 for 3, they lost 7 for 50 to be bowled out for 116. Come the 21st over, Nyamhuri had Mosaddek Hossain fending behind. Three overs later, Mehidy fell to another great effort in the outfield, as Brian Bennett rushed forward to take a low catch at deep cover point to give Ngarava his second wicket.

At 89 for 6, Rishad Hossain joined Nurul as the last recognised batters for Bangladesh but they couldn’t do much. With no DRS available, Nurul, on 31, was unable to review what seemed like a tight lbw decision that went against him. Evans, who had landed that blow, had Rishad and Taskin caught in his next two overs, before Ngarava sealed victory.

But before Bangladesh, Zimbabwe’s batting had collapsed as well. They lost 8 for 34 after their openers Bennett and Curran put on 36. Mehidy had elected to bowl after he spotted moisture in the pitch and overcast conditions above. While the start didn’t go his bowlers’ way, it turned around in no time. Curran was run out for 18 as Mehidy’s throw from mid-off hit the stumps, before Taskin and Rana started the party.

Taskin had Bennett caught for 17 two balls later, and started the ninth over by bowling Craig Ervine for a first-ball duck with a beautiful ball that was short and seamed away to hit the top of middle stump. Rana got into the act later, in the 14th over, and his extra pace on a helpful pitch made him difficult to handle. By the time his first spell ended, Rana had Sikandar Raza caught behind, Wessly Madhevere fending to second slip, Clive Madande slicing to point, Innocent Kaia also caught by the wicketkeeper, and Evans lbw.

Evans was Rana’s fifth wicket, as the Bangladesh quick completed his third ODI five-for of the year. Rana got his sixth wicket when he cleaned Ngarava up with a yorker to end what turned out to be a defining stand.

But where Bangladesh threatened to bowl Zimbabwe out for a sub-100 total, Nyamhuri and Ngarava fought back to give Zimbabwe an outside chance. By the end of the day, they also contributed with the ball to convert that outside chance into victory.

Scores:
Zimbabwe 141 in 36.4 overs (Newman Nyamhuri 33, Richard Ngarava 27; Nahid  Rana 6-21, Taskin Ahmed 2-32) beat Bangladesh 116 in 33.1 overs (Nurul Hasan 31, Towhid Hridroy 25; Richard  Ngarava 3-31, Brad Evans 3-34, Newman Nyamhuri 2-22, Blessing Muzarabani 2-24) by 25 runs

[Cricinfo]