Ronny Deila red card continues dismal Atlanta United season

Frustrated with the refereeing in the Leagues Cup, Atlanta United manager Ronny Deila received his first red card of his post-playing career after Saturday’s 3-2 loss to Pumas kept his team from advancing in the tournament.

Deila was particularly incensed at two decisions made by referee Keylor Herrera, each of which proved decisive in Deila’s team losing its sixth consecutive match in the tournament across three seasons.

The first was the penalty called against Ronald Hernandez that resulted in a penalty kick in the 89th minute. Deila thought the foul occurred outside the 18-yard box. The kick was converted for the winning goal.

The second, and this one also puzzled the Apple broadcast announcers, was Herrera allowing Pumas goalkeeper Keylor Navas to remain on the field protesting eight minutes after he was given a red card for tackling Jamal Thiare.

Though there are rules about swiftly leaving the field and not crowding the referee, the game was paused for a long time while Navas and teammates argued what was a clear foul, the Apple broadcast announcers repeatedly said.

“I need to stand up for my boys,” Deila said. “It’s crazy. It’s a clear red card, and he can stand 15 minutes on the pitch and control the world and do whatever he wants on the pitch. If you’re a star, then you can do whatever you want in the league. But other times you get punished when you are a second too late. So where are the consequences?

“I’ve been coaching 20 years, and I’ve never gotten a red card — now I get a red card. So, I’ve done that now also. I just said to them, ‘This is a joke.’ Sometimes we have to react. I can’t just sit there and watch it. Because it’s not the same rules for everybody.”

Deila didn’t blame the referees for the final outcome. He said he didn’t think Atlanta United deserved to win.

Atlanta United was the better team in the first half. It led 2-1 after an own goal against Navas and a goal by Emmanuel Latte Lath.

But Pumas made subs early in the second half that wore down Atlanta United. Deila waited to make his subs because he had only two central defenders available.

Both — Stian Gregersen and Enea Mihaj — were unable to finish the match. Midfielder Bartosz Slisz and Hernandez, a fullback, finished as the centerbacks.

“Many of the other players are now playing everything because we don’t have a big squad right now,” Deila said. “We are in a transition period with different things. But, they fight and you see so much improvement in what we are doing in the first half. We play good as a team. We were really dominant in their half, and then it turns around in the second half. We tire out in the end.”