Folarin Balogun takes a first, tiny step toward moving on from a calamitous summer

The USMNT striker scored his first goal since the World Cup in a losing effort against Paris FC. Could it lead to something more?

Before this weekend, the last time Folarin Balogun scored was in the United States’ 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina at this past summer’s World Cup. In the immediate aftermath, the outlook for Balogun seemed rosy; an ascendant player who could muster a goal in tense games. At half-time against Bosnia, US fans weren’t just wondering how far his team could advance – they were sizing Balogun up against some of the world’s best strikers.

But for most of the ensuing four months, Balogun has been in limbo.