During the match between Argentina and Switzerland in Kansas City, Breel Embolo was shown a red card in the second half, a decision that did not sit well with the Swiss side. Murat Yakin, while trying to remain calm, expressed his frustration with the situation and believes the referee’s decision was incorrect.
“We were punished by a mistake. There was no reason for that 2nd yellow card. I don’t understand,” the manager said during his press conference. “It was an innocent situation, not harmful. The refereeing error punished us and disrupted our plan.”
Yakin has always shown great respect toward Argentina; however, he believes that these types of controversies often overshadow the talent and quality of the players on the field. “But I wouldn’t say they’re favoring Argentina. We had a fair and open match. Both teams played football… We just were punished by a mistake.”
True to his style, the manager ultimately congratulated Argentina, who will now face head-to-head England in the semifinals. “It was a decisive moment for the match’s outcome. Now we can complain, but I have to congratulate Argentina.“
Breel Embolo #7 of Switzerland argues with referee Joao Pinheiro following his second yellow card.
What happened with Embolo?
Breel Embolo was sent off in the 72nd minute after a VAR review overturned an initial decision and penalized him for simulation. The Swiss forward went down following a challenge with Leandro Paredes, which originally led the referee to award a foul to Switzerland and give Paredes a yellow card.
However, the VAR intervened under the “mistaken identity” protocol, revealing that Embolo had actually simulated the contact; as a result, the referee reversed the foul, rescinded Paredes’ booking, and showed Embolo his second yellow card, leading to an automatic red card.
Reactions within the Swiss squad
Yakin was not the only one to speak out about the situation. Remo Freuler described Embolo’s sending-off as a “disaster,” while team captain Granit Xhaka stated that using video reviews for such incidents could “kill” the game.
João Pinheiro, the referee involved in the controversy, was also targeted by criticism from Manuel Akanji. “None of his simulations were punished,” the defender exclaimed.
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Was Breel Embolo’s red card the right decision?
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