Atlanta United and red cards

Atlanta United has a red card problem, and a problem with red cards.

Centerhalf Leandro Gonzalez Pirez was issued a red card – the team's third through six games – in the first half of Saturday's 2-1 loss at Montreal, which led the league with three red cards before Saturday's game .

Though referee Alan Kelly later told a pool reporter that "The red card was given for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. I saw an upper body foul in the penalty area, with no genuine attempt to play the ball," the player Pirez fouled, Matteo Mancosu, didn't have the ball and had yet to touch the ball. It had bounced over both players into the penalty box. As they collided, Mancosu threw himself on the ground and then looked directly at the referee, who awarded the penalty . Mancosu could have easily received a yellow card for simulation.

While there may have been a foul, it wasn’t worthy of a red card, which forced Atlanta United to play with 10 men for the rest of the game. The penalty also resulted in a penalty kick, which was converted by Ignacio Piatti to tie the game at 1.

“When you really look at the red cards, are they really red cards, you know?” Atlanta United player Kenwyne Jones said. “We have those decisions going against us, but we have to find a way to eliminate that happening and try and keep all 11 men on the field.”

Atlanta United manager Gerardo Martino declined to comment on the red card. He did say that three received in six games seems “excessive” and that his team was playing better than Montreal in the first half until the controversial penalty.

Atlanta United has 24 hours from the completion of the match to appeal the red card. According to the MLS website, "clubs must send written notice on club letterhead to the Vice President, Competition detailing the rationale for the appeal and include any and all evidence (e.g., video, photography, written statements, other) supporting the appeal.

The site notes that the Major League Soccer Players Union will have the right to veto any appeal involving a player.

Clubs are allowed two unsuccessful appeals this season.

Technical director Carlos Bocanegra declined to comment after Saturday’s match.

Making the red card against Pirez seem worse, Montreal's Victor Cabrera's did two-footed tackle from behind on Miguel Almiron earlier in the first half that received only a yellow card .

The card given to Pirez was the second controversial one against Atlanta United in as many games. Midfielder Yamil Asad was given one against Toronto in the second half of last week’s 2-2 draw for violent conduct after it appeared to the referee that Asad hit the Toronto player in the head with his elbow. Asad was being obstructed by the player and was using a swim move to get around him.