Switzerland star Granit Xhaka branded Breel Embolo’s red card as a ‘painful’ decision from the referee.
The Swiss crashed out of the World Cup in the quarter-finals after Argentina scored twice in extra-time to clinch a 3-2 victory in Kansas City.
The showdown against the defending champions wasn’t without its drama as Swiss forward Embolo was sent off following a VAR overturn.
Embolo was reduced to tears after a new rule contributed to his exit after a VAR check determined that he had dived after making contact with Argentine star Leandro Paredes, resulting in his second yellow card in the 70th minute.
Following the agonizing defeat, which saw Switzerland play with 10 men for the remaining 20 minutes of regular time and extra-time, Xhaka claimed the sending off ‘killed the game.’
‘We had a good start. We conceded the corner but after that, in my opinion it’s all just Switzerland,’ the Swiss captain told reporters, referring to Alexis Mac Allister’s opening header.
Granit Xhaka branded Breel Embolo’s red card as a ‘painful’ decision from the referee.
The Swiss forward was sent off in the second half of the quarter-final against Argentina
‘The second half was our game,’ he continued. ‘We scored, on the pitch we felt very good. We had more energy and more belief. The red card changed everything. It changed our gameplan from the beginning.
‘If you have to lose because of one decision from the referee, it’s painful but it was his decision. It’s difficult to accept now after a game because the dressing room was very quiet, disappointed. If you are disappointed after the game against this Argentina team, it shows a big mentality.
He continued: ‘The rules are the rules and we can’t change them but it’s a decision where you kill the game. That’s my opinion. I don’t know what else he can do but just don’t kill the game. We were so good in the game. I believed that at 11 versus 11 we would have had them but it’s very difficult to find the right words after the game.’
Embolo, who had already been booked, went down after an apparent foul by Paredes in the 70th minute.
Paredes was initially shown a yellow card for his challenge by Portuguese referee Joao Pinheiro.
Pinheiro, however, was then instructed to review the decision by VAR under a new ‘mistaken identity’ rule.
The rule allows for a decision to be changed in the event a player has been booked or sent off, but the infringement was actually committed by the opposition.
The review showed that Embolo had initiated the contact with Paredes, leaving his right leg trailing to make contact with the Argentine, before tumbling to his left.
Embolo went down after a challenge by Leandro Paredes and was booked for simulation
Embolo was reduced to tears as Switzerland were reduced to 10-men for the rest of the game
Referee Pinheiro, after reviewing the incident, returned to the pitch and confirmed Paredes had not committed a foul but that it was a clear act of simulation by Embolo.
The official then cautioned Embolo for the offence, before brandishing a red card with the forward having already been booked in the first half.
Switzerland players surrounded the official to protest the decision, while a tearful Embolo was comforted by team-mates as he left the pitch.
His red card came just minutes after Switzerland had dragged themselves level in the quarter-final, with Dan Ndoye scoring a fine equaliser after exchanging passes with Ricardo Rodriguez.
