Two old foes in Major League Soccer’s Western conference when head-to-head on Saturday. Man, it got ugly in the final 10 minutes.
FC Dallas and the San Jose Earthquakes played out a hugely entertaining game in front of nearly 15,000 in Frisco, Texas.
San Jose raced into a two goal lead after 15 minutes, but Dallas came fighting back to tie the game at 2-2 and snatch a point. However the decisive 69th minute penalty given for a supposed fall by Bernardez on Blas Perez was laughable and the San Jose bench have every right to feel adjudged as Michel stepped up to seal a point for FCD.
But then the game broke out into a prolonged scuffle for the final period, as San Jose had Justin Morrow and Bernardez sent off and Dallas striker Kenny Cooper uncharacteristically lost the plot. Plenty of MLS fans are pointing towards referee Baldomero Toledo for losing his cool and brandishing red cards willy-nilly. They’ve got a point.
Let’s use video to break down the three red cards in the games final ten minutes, watch the highlights here as Morrow is sent off.
Firstly, this can only be described as a cynical foul by Justin Morrow in the 81st minute. Ramon Nunez is fast, we all know that. But Morrow was caught napping and this was all he could do to try and stop the speedy Honduran winger. This scything tackle deserved a red.
Then watch here as Bernardez clipped Cooper and the big American striker had just about enough of San Jose’s physical tactics for one game. Watch on in disbelief as Cooper pushes Bernardez to the ground in the 86th minute, pins him down and tells him exactly what he thinks. A moment of madness that somehow saw both men sent off. Surely a yellow card for both would have been the correct decision?
That’s just my view. Watch it all again below.
