The United States men’s national Soccer team was eliminated from the Copa America 2024 after a disappointing 0-1 loss to Uruguay on Monday. The US players were critical of referee Kevin Ortega, saying he made several dubious calls during the game that went against the United States. Ortega disallowed a goal by the United States in the first half, and then awarded a penalty kick to Uruguay in the second half. The United States players felt that Ortega’s decisions were influenced by his desire to see Uruguay advance in the tournament.
The frustration in US players, particularly captain Christian Pulisic, was evident after the match. Pulisic was seen almost taunting referee Kevin Ortega to join in the Uruguay celebrations.
Among the various decisions gone haywire during the match, one was the reason USMNT lost the game. It was in the 73rd minute of the game where two Uruguay players were offside after checking with the VAR but the goal was still allowed.
“Honestly, I mean, I saw things that I’ve never seen before, right in front of my eyes today, that truly I can’t believe.” Those were the words of US captain Christian Pulisic after the match against Uruguay.
“We lost to Uruguay in the Copa America, but it wasn’t because of the referee. The real reason is that we didn’t play well enough to win. But the referee made some really bad calls that affected the outcome of the game. I don’t know what he was thinking.” – US captain Christian Pulisic
Referee Kevin Ortega was clearly not pleased with the criticism he received from US captain Christian Pulisic after the match. Ortega refused to shake hands with Pulisic after the match.
Antonee Robinson, a teammate of Christian Pulisic, also criticized the referee. He said that the referee clearly didn’t know how to control the game and that he let a quick free kick go while he had a yellow card in hand, which was literally embarrassing. Robinson hopes that something happens to the referee as a result of his actions.
The United States lost to Uruguay in the Copa America, and I don’t think the ref is to blame. The ref made some questionable calls, but the U.S. didn’t play well enough to win. The U.S. team looked tired and lacked energy and focus. They also looked outmatched by the Uruguayan team. The Uruguayan players were more skilled and played with more intensity. The U.S. team didn’t play to their potential, and that was the main reason for their loss.
