I-League 2017: East Bengal vs Gokulam Kerala FC, Talking Points

Red for Mirza

Katsumi was the victim of a vicious tackle

Visitors Kerala had to play the last 37 minutes of the contest with 10 men after Rohit Mirza was shown a straight red.

The foul in play was a shocking kick out at East Bengal playmaker Yusa. The Japanese had got the ball under control and was well past when Mirza unleashed a right-footed kick at him with absolutely no intent at playing the ball. It was very malicious indeed.

However, the intrigue came in what followed. As both men lay on the ground and as East Bengal players vented their unhappiness at the tackle led by captain Arnab Mondal, the referee Umesh Bora had a yellow card in his hand.

It took almost two minutes before both Yusa and Mirza were taken off the pitch, but after seemingly receiving a word in his ear from someone, maybe the fourth official, Bora changed his decision, kept the yellow card in and took out the red to dismiss Mirza.

It was the right call in the end, but it's something that we don't see often.