Switzerland's Embolo first victim of new mistaken identity rule

Switzerland forward Breel Embolo became the first player to be sent off under a new mistaken identity rule during his country's 3-1 World Cup quarter-final defeat by Argentina. The 29-year-old received a second yellow card in the 72nd minute for simulation. He left the pitch in Kansas City in tears, having been reduced to 10 men just five minutes after Switzerland equalised against the defending champions.

The dismissal hinged on a technicality introduced for this tournament by Pierluigi Collina, the head of referees. Referee Joao Pinheiro had initially shown a yellow card to Argentina's Leandro Paredes for a clumsy challenge. The video assistant referee then intervened and sent Pinheiro to the monitor to review the incident.

Under the new regulation, officials can change a booking if they realise the punished player did not commit the foul and it was actually an opposition player. Because Paredes had already been cautioned, the rule was triggered. Upon review, Pinheiro decided Embolo had dived, upgrading his first-half booking to a red card.

Had Paredes not been booked initially, the specific mistaken identity provision would not have applied and Embolo would have remained on the pitch. The rule had been used earlier in the tournament when USA defender Tim Ream had a yellow card rescinded and given to Paraguay's Miguel Almiron instead. However, this was the first time the regulation resulted in a dismissal.

Swiss coach Murat Yakin criticised the intervention. "There was definitely no reason to award a yellow card," Yakin said. "It was a harmless situation. He should have let play continue."

Yakin argued the new law is fundamentally flawed. "We were punished because of a rule that is unacceptable. I don't understand it," he added. "The fact that they intervened unnecessarily is extremely hurtful."

"It's a rule that has nothing to do with football. It destroyed our game. We have to accept it, but it is painful to lose that way," Yakin said.

Pundits offered limited sympathy for the Rennes striker. "I feel for Embolo's team-mates, I don't feel for him. He has cost his team maybe getting through to the semi-finals," said former Major League Soccer striker Bradley Wright-Phillips.

Former Jamaica international Jobi McAnuff agreed Embolo had let his side down. "Everything looks worse in slow motion and he ends up getting the yellow card for simulation," McAnuff noted. "Maybe he felt the contact was going to come sooner and it didn't."

Argentina capitalised on their numerical advantage to score twice in extra time and secure a semi-final meeting with England. Despite the controversial nature of the defeat, Yakin remained proud of his squad's resilience. "Despite the fact we were one man down, we gave it all," he said.