Almost lost in the Emerald City’s euphoria as the host of the U.S. national team’s quarterfinal match up in the Copa America Centenario this week is the fact that one Seattle soccer’s favorite sons won’t be able to play.
Former Sounders defender and Seattle native DeAndre Yedlin will serve a one-game suspension when the U.S. suit up at CenturyLink Field on Thursday thanks to a rare red card in the team’s gritty 1-0 win over Paraguay on Saturday night.
Yedlin received two yellow cards inside of a minute for rough tackles early in the second half of the Americans’ match in Philadelphia, earning a red card and leaving the U.S. shorthanded for more than 30 minutes.
Yedlin did not speak with media after the match, but his former Sounders teammate and USMNT forward Clint Dempsey questioned the first yellow card for a tackle near midfield.
“It was difficult situation,” said Dempsey, who was replaced by defender Michael Orozco after Yedlin’s ejection. “The first one I didn’t think was a foul. The second one was, but the first one I thought DeAndre got the ball. Any time you go a man down it’s always difficult but, man, I’m happy we responded.”
The red card was Yedlin’s first in 37 career appearances with the USMNT. Ejections were as equally rare during his two years with the Sounders, as the speedy defender was sent off just once in 56 regular-season appearances in Seattle.
“He makes the first tackle because he has to make that recovery run. I was not sure about the first one; I thought the first one he played the ball,” U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann said. “Seeing it [later], it was a foul. You can give that yellow. Then he just lost his head for a second. This is why you are young. You’ve got to give him that benefit of the doubt. You’ve got to give him that credit. He will learn from that mistake. Just cool down for a couple minutes and find your path in the game again.”
