PARADISE, Nev. — Folarin Balogun's USMNT teammates had tried in vain to prime him. They had told the tales of U.S.-Mexico, of melees and more. As they integrated their newest recruit ahead of Thursday's CONCACAF Nations League semifinal, they used words like "intense" and "crazy." Tim Weah even warned him: "You're probably gonna get some alcohol thrown at you at some point."

But nothing, nobody, could have prepared Balogun for 8:43 p.m. here at Allegiant Stadium, when Mexico's Cesar Montes wound up and hacked Balogun down.

He clutched for his leg, writhing in pain. Then he looked up. "And I just saw a swarm of people fighting," he'd later recall.