England captain Harry Kane avoided a red card during the first half of the World Cup semi-final against Argentina after covering his mouth while speaking to the referee, a potential violation of a new IFAB rule.
Incident in the 37th Minute
In the 37th minute at the Atlanta Stadium, referee Ismail Elfath prepared to book England midfielder Elliot Anderson for a foul on Argentina captain Lionel Messi. As players from both sides converged, Kane approached the official with his hand covering his mouth, seemingly to defend his teammate. Argentina's Leandro Paredes immediately protested, suggesting Kane should be sanctioned under a rule introduced by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) before the World Cup.
New IFAB Rule on Covering Mouth
FIFA stated: "At the discretion of the competition organiser, any player covering their mouth in a confrontational situation with an opponent may be sanctioned with a red card." The rule was first applied to Paraguay's Miguel Almiron during the group stage win over Turkey. Arsenal defender Piero Hincapie also received a red card under the same rule when Ecuador lost to co-hosts Mexico in the round of 32.
Key Difference in Kane's Case
However, crucial differences exist. Kane covered his mouth while speaking to the official, not an Argentina player, and the situation was not considered confrontational. The referee deemed it not a red-card offense, allowing Kane to remain on the pitch.
Kane's Pre-Match Comments
Speaking ahead of the semi-final, Kane urged his teammates to avoid being drawn into the historic rivalry with Argentina. "Yeah and no. I think it's not something you want to focus too much on, surrounding the history," Kane told reporters. "Yeah, that's all part of it and that's what you guys [in the media] will talk about, the fans will be involved in. But from a player's point of view it's us against a great team, who are smart, who are tactical, who know how to buy fouls, know how to slow the game down."
