12/24/24
September 10, 2013
Matt Besler's Yellow Card a Complete Farce: U.S. defender Matt Besler is "extremely disappointed" with a yellow-card decision that left him suspended for Tuesday's World Cup qualifying match against Mexico, he said on Twitter. Video shows Costa Rica winger Joel Campbell walk behind Besler and then fake being knocked to the ground, for which Mexican referee Marco Rodriguez gives Besler a completely unmerited yellow.
I'm going to assume that the powers that be will take a good, long look at that footage, and then ask Mr. Rodriguez some very uncomfortable questions about his rationale for issuing a yellow.
Nice! I typed all of that with a straight face!
posted by tahoemoj at 06:58 PM on September 10, 2013
What I don't get is that the USMNT didn't appeal the card. Maybe only reds can be appealed? I doubt they'd have let it slide if the option was available but still, Campbell should get a suspension for simulation.
posted by billsaysthis at 10:25 AM on September 11, 2013
You can't appeal yellows.
England had a similar situation when Danny Welbeck was yellow-carded for "time wasting" against Moldova, for shooting at the goal about a tenth of a second after the Ref had blown his whistle for offside, meaning he missed the game against Ukraine.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 01:47 PM on September 11, 2013
This is where the USSF needs to make some real noise. Two things should happen, the Mexican ref who gave the yellow preventing Besler from playing against Mexico needs to have a long conversation with the powers that be. The second thing is a suspension for Campbell for obviously faking a foul.
There was the comment made before the match (I think it was Klinsmann) that having a Mexican ref for a game immediately preceding a match with Mexico was not good since it could raise questions of bias if there were questionable cards given.
posted by Mothball at 04:36 PM on September 11, 2013
Besler deserved it. That poor bastard Campbell was obviously in severe pain, and what did Besler do? Nothing. He just walked around like he wasn't even a highly trained medical professional with no duty to assist the--
What's that?
I'm sorry, he's not a medical professional? He's a soccer player in the middle of a game?
Oh, well, fuck that noise.
Why does soccer only have three officials on the field, anyway? It's patently not enough.