HOUSTON - Gerardo "Tata" Martino will be suspended for Mexico's Gold Cup semifinal against Haiti on Tuesday and has questioned why there is no VAR at the competition.
Mexico defeated Costa Rica 5-4 on penalties, after tying 1-1 over 120 minutes, but Martino was shown a yellow card in the second half and was livid on the touchline after a decision to award Los Ticos a penalty after half-time. It was his second card of the tournament, following his caution during the 3-2 victory over Martinique in the group stage.
"The officiating was bad, what else can I say?" said Martino in a news conference after the game. "I'm going to miss the next game and the referee could go on to officiate the final of the tournament."
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Martino was also unhappy that a Panamanian referee had been chosen for the game against Costa Rica because the Panamanian national team is still in the competition and asked why VAR is not in use, stressing that he was making the points in order to help the tournament improve in the future.
"It is impossible with the technology there is today and with VAR used in Mexico and in the United States that there isn't VAR in this tournament," said Martino.
"In the Copa America they stop the game 200 times for VAR, they've pulled back four goals because of VAR and we don't have VAR."
Martino's Mexico struggled at times against a tough Costa Rica side, but the Argentine coach was happy with his team's display.
"Today Mexico brought the football, we deserved to win the game thanks to our football," said Martino. "Guillermo Ochoa made the save of the game, but the game that all [the players] played was sensational."
El Tri will travel on Sunday ahead of Tuesday's semifinal in Glendale, Arizona.