Almiron first player sent off for covering mouth

A World Cup group match in San Francisco witnessed a historic dismissal when Paraguay winger Miguel Almirón became the first player sent off for shielding his mouth while speaking to an opponent.

The thirty-two-year-old former Newcastle United player covered his mouth during an exchange with Turkey's Mert Müldür, who immediately alerted a nearby official. Following a video assistant referee review, Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton announced the red card to the stadium crowd just before half-time, with Paraguay leading one-nil.

"If you know the rules, you shouldn't do it. You've got to credit the referee and the VAR for making that decision. Not everyone would agree with it, but if those are the rules, you've got to stick by the rules."

Former Republic of Ireland striker Clinton Morrison shared this assessment during a BBC Radio 5 Live broadcast.

Despite playing with ten men for over half the match, Paraguay maintained their one-nil lead to defeat Turkey. A victory against Australia in their final group fixture on Friday secures their place in the round of thirty-two.

The regulation undergoes its first implementation at this World Cup following an International Football Association Board meeting in Vancouver in April. FIFA President Gianni Infantino previously backed the rule, stating officials should presume that players covering their mouths said something inappropriate, though referees retain full discretion.

The issue drew widespread attention in February when Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni raised his shirt while talking to Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior in the Champions League. The Argentine denied allegations of racist abuse but received a six-match ban, with three matches suspended, after a UEFA probe found him guilty of homophobic conduct.

This dismissal represents the second time Miguel Almirón fell foul of a new regulation during the tournament. In the opening group match against the United States, an official initially booked American defender Tim Ream for a foul, but a review overturned the decision to penalise the Paraguayan for diving.