Folarin Balogun scored for the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) as they overcame Oman 4-O in an international friendly played in the early hours of Wednesday morning at Allianz Field in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
The 22-year-old of Nigerian descent, pledged his allegiance to the Stars and Stripes over the country of his parents and England this summer and made his debut against Mexico in the CONCACAF Nations League semi-finals in June, going on to score his first goal in the final against Canada.
He added his second international goal in the 13th minute against the Omanis by scoring from a rebounded Sergino Dest shot which goalkeeper Ibrahim Al Mukhaini initially saved before it fell into Balogun’s path.
. @balogun with the opener in Minnesota ???????? pic.twitter.com/AEKnxy9giJ
— U.S. Men's National Soccer Team (@USMNT) September 13, 2023
It remained 1-0 to the Americans until the 60th minute when Union Berlin midfielder Brenden Aaronson scored a sublime freekick. Substitute Ricardo Pepi, who came on for Balogun at the start of the second half, made it 3-0 in the 79th minute with a low shot on the edge of the penalty area before Khaled Al Breiki put the ball into his own net to completing the scoring.
Balogun joined AS Monaco from Arsenal on a five-year deal worth a reported €40 million. He impressed on loan at French Ligue 1 side Reims last season, scoring 21 goals and finished as the joint-fourth highest goalscorer behind Kylian Mbappe, Alexandre Lacazette and Jonathan David.
2009 – Folarin Balogun is the first Monaco player to score a goal for the @USMNT since Freddy Adu in July 2009. Principality. pic.twitter.com/lydTHiPgqU
— OptaJack⚽️ (@OptaJack) September 13, 2023
His goal against Oman made him the first Monaco player to score for the USMNT since Freddy Adu did against Grenada in the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
