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Paraguay midfielder Miguel Almiron became the first player to receive a red card at the World Cup for covering his mouth, being sent off during a confrontation late in the first half against Turkey on Friday night.
The offense came in 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 as he said something to Mulder, who immediately appealed to Judge Ivan Barton for punishment.
Barton went to video review and quickly decided that Almiron would be red carded and sent off under a new rule introduced for this year’s World Cup.
“According to the law, if you cover your mouth, you get sent off. Red card,” coach Gustavo Alfaro said. “There’s nothing I can do about it. Unfortunately, we can’t issue a new statement on this.”
Paraguay led 1-0 at the time and held on for the win despite being down a man for the entire second half.
Alfaro said he tried to cheer Almiron up after the game, telling him his absence brought out the “fighting spirit” of the team.
“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.”
FIFA president Gianni Infantino pushed for the new rule after Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni tried to cover up verbal abuse against Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior in a Champions League match.
Alfaro said the team was well aware of the rule, although it may be too harsh.
“I fear we are too strict and football loses its essence,” Alfaro said. “In football there are frictions, fights, clashes.”
FIFA World Cup related stories
The red card means Almiron misses the final group stage match against Australia with second place in Group D on the line. FIFA could choose to extend a suspension to match Almiron for a knockout round match.
“I hope the punishment is that he misses as few games as possible,” Alfaro said. “He was very upset and he was very affected.”
It is the second time in two matches at the World Cup that Almiron was mapped under a new rule that is in place this year. He received a yellow card in the opening match against the USA after video review overturned a yellow card issued to Tim Ream and gave it to Almiron instead of diving.
Report from the Associated Press.
