Paraguay's Miguel Almiron becomes 1st player red-carded at the World Cup for covering his mouth<\/p>\n
Paraguay midfielder Miguel Almiron became the first player issued with a red card at the World Cup for covering his mouth, getting sent off during a confrontation late in the first half against Turkey on Friday night.<\/p>\n
The infraction came during first-half stoppage time in the Group D match when Almiron and Mert Mulder exchanged words following a foul near midfield. Almiron covered his mouth while saying something to Mulder, who immediately appealed to referee Ivan Barton for punishment.<\/p>\n
Barton went to video review and quickly ruled that Almiron would be given a red card and ejected under a new rule put in place for this year’s World Cup.<\/p>\n
“According to the law, if you cover your mouth you’re sent off. Red card,” coach Gustavo Alfaro said. “There’s nothing I can do about that. Unfortunately, we can’t issue a new opinion on this.”<\/p>\n
Paraguay led 1-0 at the time and held on for the win despite playing a man down for the entire second half.<\/p>\n
Alfaro said he tried to cheer Almiron up after the game, telling him his absence brought out the “fighting spirit” of the team.<\/p>\n
“He apologized to the players for his mistake,” Alfaro said. “He knew about the situation he had left his teammates in with his actions. … It happened and it happened.”<\/p>\n
FIFA president Gianni Infantino pushed for the new rule after Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni tried to hide verbal insults toward Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior in a Champions League game.<\/p>\n
Alfaro said the team was well aware of the rule even if it might be too harsh.<\/p>\n
“I fear we are too strict and football loses its essence,” Alfaro said. “In football, there’s frictions, fights, clashes.”<\/p>\n
The red card means Almiron will miss the final group stage match against Australia with second place in Group D on the line. FIFA could choose to lengthen a suspension to sideline Almiron for a knockout round match.<\/p>\n
“I hope the penalty is he misses as few matches as possible,” Alfaro said. “He was very sorry and he was heavily affected.”<\/p>\n
This is the second time in two games at the World Cup that Almiron was carded under a new rule in place this year. He got a yellow card in the opening match against the United States after video review overturned a yellow card issued to Tim Ream and gave it to Almiron instead for diving.<\/p>\n