CHESTER, Pa. — In the 74th minute of an MLS match Saturday at Talen Energy Stadium, referee Sorin Stoica issued a red card to D.C. United’s Luciano Acosta. The Argentine playmaker had challenged Philadelphia’s Haris Medunjanin from behind along the sideline near midfield. It was worthy of a foul, maybe a caution, but certainly not an ejection.
Acosta was dumbfounded. His teammates were incredulous. But perhaps no one was more surprised than Medunjanin.
So the Union midfielder approached Stoica and told him he didn’t think it was a red-card offense.
Yes, an opposing player telling the referee not to punish the other team and, for an intents and purposes, put the outcome to rest.