Switzerland head coach Murat Yakin rules Breel Embolo red card 'unacceptable'

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/embolo-breel/CpKkPKuP/"]Embolo[/a] was shown a second ‌yellow card for simulation in the 72nd minute, five minutes after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ndoye-dan/EmmpFCXN/"]Dan Ndoye[/a] had cancelled out [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mac-allister-alexis/fDPhMB8M/"]Alexis ‌Mac Allister[/a]’s early opener and with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/switzerland/rHJ2vy1B/"]Switzerland[/a] carrying the greater threat.[/p][p]The ‌referee had initially booked [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/argentina/f9OppQjp/"]Argentina[/a] midfielder [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/paredes-leandro/lbNnSBiA/"]Leandro Paredes[/a] before a lengthy VAR review established that ‌Embolo had not been fouled.[/p][p][b]“There was definitely no reason to award a ‌yellow card,”[/b] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/yakin-murat/AyuXqwIS/"]Yakin[/a] said. [b]“It was a harmless situation. He should have let play continue.[/b][/p][p]“We were punished because of a rule that is unacceptable. I don’t understand it. The fact that ‌they intervened unnecessarily is extremely hurtful. It's a rule ⁠that has nothing to do with football.[/p][p][b]“It ‌destroyed our game today. We have to accept it, but it is painful to ​lose that way.”[/b][/p][p]Switzerland held out until the 112th minute, when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alvarez-julian/bBHauDIC/"]Julian Alvarez[/a] whipped a superb long-range shot into the top corner, before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinez-lautaro/QHk1CXUh/"]Lautaro ​Martinez[/a] added Argentina’s third nine minutes later.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/argentina-f9OppQjp/switzerland-rHJ2vy1B/?mid=Wv4IS6zg"]The defeat[/a] ended Switzerland’s first World Cup quarter-final appearance since 1954 and left them one victory short of reaching the ⁠last four for the first ​time.[/p][image alt="Match momentum" id="90960c58-51de-449e-9a6c-1b5303808438" credit-line="StatsPerform via Opta" guid="7e407375-4747-49a1-931b-5c90a0b3cdfd" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Yakin said the dismissal had transformed a match his side had begun to control after recovering from Mac Allister’s 10th-minute opener.[/p][p][b]“I would like to praise the entire team because we came back from a goal down against the world champions and ‌we had the momentum,” [/b]he said.[/p][p]“We were dominating and controlling the match, and then we were punished because of a rule that is unacceptable. I don’t understand it. My boys are the real heroes.”[/p][p]Midfielder [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/freuler-remo/pETNY4Qt/"]Remo Freuler[/a] also questioned the intervention and called on FIFA to explain the decision.[/p][p][b]“I’m very proud of the team. You could tell that we gave 100%,”[/b] Freuler said.[/p][p]“I don’t understand how VAR can make such a decision, and FIFA has to explain it to us.”[/p][p]Embolo collapsed in tears after the red card and was consoled by his teammates ‌before leaving the pitch.[/p][p]Yakin said the striker was devastated.[/p][p][b]“He was fouled many times ​and he had a few very good moments in this game, but ‌then he couldn’t help the team any more,”[/b] Yakin said.[/p][p]“I don’t blame him. Obviously, he is shattered because he could not help the team. It was a refereeing mistake.”[/p][p]Yakin said he was proud of Switzerland’s performance not only against Argentina but throughout a tournament in which they had gone ⁠further than any Swiss side in ⁠more than seven decades.[/p][p][b]“I am ‌very proud, they are very proud,”[/b] he added.[/p][infobox id="4ccc1b10-d68f-4c97-bcf4-5e613c17c2e3" /]