Ghana defender, Harrison Afful was controversially sent off in Columbus Crew’s 1-1 draw with DC United at the Mapfre Stadium on Saturday.
Crew played the final 16-plus minutes of the MLS clash a man down because of a straight red card shown to fullback Afful for a studs-showing challenge on Marcelo Sarvas.
Replays showed the defender did not make contact with the DC United midfielder as his foot drove through the ball. Sarvas, who then stepped on Afful, helped sell the call by hobbling about after the two players met.
Referee Silviu Petrescu adjudged his tackle on Marcelo Sarvas as a cynical one and pulled out a red card from his pocket in the 74th minute.
Afful, who set up Ola Kamara’s ninth goal in the 63rd minute, declined comment.
D.C. benefited from the controversial sending off and went on to snatch the equalizer.