Weston McKennie sent off as USA thrash Mexico in ugly affair

Weston McKennie sent off as USA thrash Mexico in ugly affair

The USA made it six unbeaten against rivals Mexico amid unpleasant scenes that saw four players sent off and the game stopped due to homophobic chanting.
Ex-Leeds United loanee Weston McKennie saw red for what was seen as violent conduct by VAR officials.
The hosts took the lead in the 37th minute when Christian Pulisic danced through a sea of green and found the bottom corner.
Immediately after half-time, Timothy Weah caused havoc down the right-hand side and his precision pass across the box was fired home by Pulisic for his second.
Ricardo Pepi put the icing on the cake late in the day when he punished a stretched Mexico defence with a cool finish.
The real talking points came on either side of Pepi’s goal, with referee Ivan Barton issuing four red cards for violent clashes.
Folarin Balogun was violently scythed down by Cesar Montes in the 69th minute. The Mexican defender saw red and an ugly brawl ensued.
Amid the chaos, McKennie was surrounded by a number of opposition players and was judged to have put his hands on a Mexican throat by VAR.
The American international came under heavy fire during his recent spell at Leeds, but there was never any doubting his passion.
He left the field with a torn shirt, chest and shoulders exposed, kissing the US crest as beer reigned down from the Mexico supporters.
A sorry-looking Mexico were out for blood and in the 85th minute, Gerardo Arteaga decided to have a nibble at Sergino Dest in the corner.
The aftermath led to Arteaga and Dest both seeing red for aggressively pushing each other in the face.
The players collided again to a chorus of whistles while the Mexican supporters threw beer after beer at the scuffling huddle of players.
This questionable behaviour has become a theme in this fixture and the ugliest moment was yet to come.
Referee Ivan Barton halted the game in injury time as an all too familiar Spanish-language homophobic slur rang around the stadium.
In January, FIFA fined Mexico £108,000 for homophobic chanting during two games.
The game resumed, but so did the chanting. The referee blew his whistle four minutes early.
The US triumphed tres a cero and advanced to the CONCACAF Nations League final where they’ll meet Canada.
Mexico goes home with their tail between their legs and a lot of work to do on and off the pitch. They’ll be hearing from FIFA, too.

Four red cards, eight yellows, beers tossed at players, McKennie has his shirt ripped and the game is stopped due to homophobic chanting: USA’s 3-0 win over Mexico spirals out of control
The United States beat Mexico 3-0 on Thursday night to reach the CONCACAF Nations League final against Canada – but the game descended into chaos.
Four players were ejected and the match was cut short by the referee after repeated homophobic chants.
The referee also showed eight yellow cards, fans threw beers onto the field of play and Weston McKennie’s shirt was ripped.

The USMNT and Mexico each finished with nine players after McKennie, Sergino Dest, Cesar Montes and Gerardo Arteaga received red cards in a fiery second half.
‘These are rivalry games. These are derby games. Things like this happen across the world and in no way am I embarrassed,’ B.J. Callaghan said after his first game as US interim coach.
‘It comes from a good place. They care about each other so much in that locker room that they’re standing up for each other. Sometimes does it have an issue where we take a red card? Yeah, but when you know where it comes from, you can accept it and it’s a learning lesson for us.’
Play was halted in the 90th minute because of homophobic chants. When action resumed, 12 minutes of stoppage time were signaled but resumed chants caused Barton to end the match in the eighth minute added minute.
FIFA fined Mexico 100,000 Swiss francs ($108,000) in January for anti-gay chants by fans at two games.
‘In terms of the chant, I want to make it very clear first and foremost, for our beliefs and our culture, it has no place in the game,’ Callaghan said. ‘It has no place in our value system.’
Mexico fans have routinely engaged in homophobic chants – specifically a chant using the word ‘puto’, an anti-gay slur in Spanish – during matches and the FMF has received harsh punishments as a result.
Christian Pulisic put his difficult season with Chelsea behind him by scoring a brace in his first start for club or country since April 15.
The winger, who is set to leave the Blues this summer, broke the deadlock in the 37th minute and added his and his nation’s second a minute after halftime.
The goals took his tally to 25 in 59 international appearances, including four goals against Mexico. Ricardo Pepi scored the USA’s third in the 78th, five minutes after entering.
McKennie and Dest are suspended for Sunday’s final.
‘I’m upset, the game didn’t need to turn into this,’ Pulisic said postgame.