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VIDEO: USMNT’s Altidore bit by El Salvador’s Romero

Gold Cup US El Salvador Soccer

United States’ Jozy Altidore (27) and El Salvador’s Henry Romero (4) battle for a ball during a CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal soccer match in Philadelphia, Wednesday, July 19, 2017. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

AP

A very scrappy match between the United States men’s national team and El Salvador crossed the line into dirty on multiple occasions Wednesday, including “Suarez” territory.

El Salvador’s Henry Romero bit USMNT striker Altidore and then attempted a junior high “nipple twist” on the forward during a corner kick around the hour mark, unseen by the referee but picked up by replay.

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There’s certainly no excuse for the move, which has cost Luis Suarez multiple suspensions in his career. Suarez was given a seven-match ban the first time he bit an opponent, PSV’s Otman Bakkal, while with Ajax.

Elbows were sharp and so were the boots, as U.S. midfielder Paul Arriola appeared to cleverly disguise a kick between the legs of an El Salvadoran player in the first half.

Follow @NicholasMendola