World Cup
Yakin slams mistaken‑identity rule after Embolo’s red card
Switzerland manager Murat Yakin condemned the new mistaken‑identity rule after Breel Embolo received a second yellow and was sent off, a decision he said destroyed his side’s chances in the World Cup quarter‑final against Argentina. The red card came after referee Joao Pinheiro reviewed a challenge involving Leandro Paredes, overturning the original booking.
Pinheiro determined that Embolo had dived, cancelling the yellow card originally given to Paredes and issuing a second caution to the Swiss striker. Yakin argued that Paredes should not have been booked at all and that the mistaken‑identity rule should never have been applied, calling the VAR intervention “extremely hurtful” for Switzerland. He described Embolo’s dismissal as “shattered” for the player.
Switzerland had drawn level through Dan Ndoye only minutes before Embolo’s dismissal, restoring hope for the Swiss side. The goal momentarily shifted momentum, but the red card quickly erased the advantage. The equaliser had raised hopes of a comeback before the sending‑off.
Frustration in Swiss camp after new VAR rule sends Embolo off
In extra time, Argentina sealed the win with goals from Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez, extending their lead to 3‑1. Argentina’s late strikes left Switzerland with no time to respond. The Argentine goals confirmed the decisive impact of the earlier red card. Yakin lamented that Switzerland were denied a semi‑final place, insisting his players were the “real heroes” and noting that England will now meet Argentina in the last four, ending Switzerland’s first quarter‑final appearance in 72 years. He also emphasized that the mistake denied his team a historic semi‑final, which would have set up a clash with England. Yakin stressed he does not blame Embolo, calling the striker “shattered” and the dismissal a referee mistake.