Questionable handball in box awarded to CRC early in the match. Ref carded CRC attacker after McKenna tripped him after clearing a ball. Ref likely shielded by the play. McKenna should have been carderd but the CRC guy likely got it for persistent embellishment. In the 65th minute, ref should have gone straight to red on a blatant & late tackle from behind by CAN. Ref's not bad in this one, but the players' behavior makes me think this could get nasty. Keep waiting for this one to get out of control. Was rooting for underdog Canadians but they seem to do everything they can to try and come back in this game as well as prevent from going down 2-0. Long stretch of dirty play by our northern neighbors. Costa Rica not much better. Maybe the players will finally settle down again, but I doubt it. Would be worse if CAN Center Def McKenna (?) hadn't received a card for dissent due to the aforementioned PK. He's still playing enforcer out there, but he's already got the caution holding him back somewhat. Think the ref might be looking to give an 'equalizer' if Canada can get it dangerously in the attacking third. Hey, dangerous freekick at 73rd minute but Canada puts it into the wall. Oh, 78th minute, ref sends a CRC guy off the field for wearing a bracelet or something. Comes back in after a minute at the next stoppage. Never seen that before at this level. Wow. What? Don't they check the players in prior to the match? McKenna goes out on second yellow! in 80th minute. Interesting. He made no attempt to play the ball and looked right at his opponent and stuck his leg/cleat in the other guy's knee on a half-arsed jump ball. Regret the dissent now? Time for Costa Rica to play rough now and put CAN away I guess. Late FK for CAN in injury time (94th minute). Ref not bad. Just typical.
Have to agree with Gunner for the most part. PK - somewhat iffy, but could see how it could be viewed as "body to ball" given this is an international game. The 2nd yellow on the Canuck - fully deserved. From what I could tell, the first card for dissent seemed to be for duration and intensity. In other words, if he shut up quickly, no card, meaning no 2nd yellow. Some interesting cards that seemed to "split the difference". Foul given for Costa Rica, but then the Costa Rican player ended up carded for making a meal of the challenge (clear foul on the replays, but not serious enough to be on the ground in agony). Wondering if the Gold Cup will see more of this - foul given but the victim gets carded for the bad acting job afterwards. Would be nice. Ugly game and depressing result for Canada (yet another no goal game). Was the US game any better?
Yeah, the dissent was definitely for duration/intensity. 2nd yellow was deserved. As I mentioned before, he was playing enforcer and if nothing else, got it for P.I. The one quoted above, was the sliding tackle/pass in the CAN def 1/3 right? The def, I believe McKenna yet again, slid to reach the ball and pass toward his keeper, after he passed the ball, he raised his leg used to kick the ball, and tripped the CRC attacker. Should have been a card there in my opinion for the CAN defender, yet the CRC guy writhed as though mortally wounded. The CRC guy got the caution.