Diving into the big play: Kaye’s red card looms large in Canada loss

Canada's national soccer team players pose for a group photo prior to a World Cup qualifying soccer match against Costa Rica in San Jose, Costa Rica, Thursday, March 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Carlos Gonzalez)

With a World Cup qualification within arm’s reach, Canada fell 1-0 to Costa Rica after a controversial red card was given to midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye on Thursday.

Soccer watchers took to Twitter to express how the moment felt as Canada was on the verge of making the World Cup for just the second time ever.

In what many would call “classic CONCACAF fashion,” Kaye was sent off after what many saw as a dive from Costa Rica’s Johan Venegas after the two bumped in the first half — forcing Canada to play a man short the rest of the night. Kaye got a yellow card earlier for a cleats-up tackle.

While many agreed that the contact was not harsh enough for Venegas’ reaction, the play from Kaye had further implications in the match.

After the incident, with Canada down to 10 men, Costa Rica would go on to score the only goal of the match.

Still, Canada was resilient, pushing hard for the equalizer.

Kaye now can’t play Sunday when Canada faces Jamaica in Toronto.

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