Ex-United star, Wayne Rooney was sent off as D.C. United’s unbeaten start to the season came to an emphatic end with a 4-0 home defeat to Los Angeles FC on Saturday.
Former England and Manchester United ace Rooney was shown a red card on 52 minutes after a dangerous, studs-up tackle on LAFC’s Uruguayan striker Diego Rossi, who would go on to complete a clinical hat-trick.
Wayne Rooney sees red for the first time in MLS after a VAR check š¬ pic.twitter.com/Moy1neQDGA
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) April 7, 2019
Referee Robert Sibiga initially looked to have given Rooney a reprieve, brandishing only a yellow card for the tackle.
Wayne Rooney shown a straight red card for DC United! https://t.co/ueyJVNPm3D
ā GiveMeSport Football (@GMS__Football) April 6, 2019
But after consulting the Video Assistant Referee, Sibiga changed the yellow to red, leaving United skipper Rooney to trudge off the field without protest.
“Yeah I think it was a red card,” Rooney said after the game. “I’ve lunged. I tried to win the ball, and I’ve caught the player. I have no arguments.”
Wayne Rooney got sent off for a HORROR tackle last night! š±š±š± pic.twitter.com/SrVMv3hJcJ
ā Soccer AM (@SoccerAM) April 7, 2019
Rooney’s red completed a miserable afternoon for D.C. United, who by that stage were trailing 3-0 against a vastly superior LAFC side.
Rooney’s dismissal early in the second half snuffed out any faint hope of a comeback, and Rossi duly added insult to injury by completing his hat-trick to make it 4-0 on 76 minutes.
#LAFC continued their red-hot start to the MLS season with a 4-0 win in the nation’s capital, while Wayne Rooney just saw red.
ā FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) April 6, 2019
All the highlights in our 90′ in 90″ ā¬ļø pic.twitter.com/U1J7F5VBzf
LAFC moved four points clear of Los Angeles Galaxy at the top of the Western Conference, with 16 points from six games.