Almiron sent off for covering his mouth as World Cup referees face wave of protests

Miguel Almiron was sent off for covering his mouth during an argument with Turkey’s Mert Muldur as Paraguay beat Turkey 1-0 on Friday, becoming the first player dismissed under a recent law change that makes the gesture a red-card offence. The incident was one of several flashpoints in a volatile match that also saw players and staff from both sides involved in a mass confrontation at the end of the first half.

The Almiron dismissal was part of a turbulent 24 hours for World Cup referees. Algeria have reportedly written a letter to FIFA alleging that Alexis Mac Allister and Lionel Messi should have been sanctioned by officials during Argentina’s 3-0 win over them, according to Reuters. Australia head coach Tony Popovic also clashed with match officials after his side’s 2-0 loss to the United States, with midfielder Nestory Irankunda accusing referee Felix Zwayer of “having a stinker” and “giving every call to the USA”.

Scotland were left frustrated after their 1-0 defeat to Morocco, with penalty appeals from John McGinn and Scott McTominay both turned down. Head coach Steve Clarke said he was “a little bit disappointed” that Issa Diop was not sent off for bringing down Che Adams when the defender was the last man back.

Elsewhere, Brazil could be without Raphinha for their next fixture after the Barcelona winger was forced off just before half-time during their 3-0 win over Haiti. He went to ground and walked straight down the tunnel, with the extent of the injury not yet confirmed.

Senegal’s camp has been described as being in disarray, with Sport News Africa reporting that several players are unhappy about their accommodation. The squad’s head chef was reportedly not included in the travelling party, allegedly leading some players to order outside food, while there are also claims of unpaid bonuses.

On the political front, Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House World Cup Task Force, told The Telegraph that President Donald Trump wants to ensure “competitive balance” and “fair play on the field” while still excluding “bad actors”, as Iran’s terms of entry to the United States remain under discussion.