CONCACAF NATIONS LEAGUE
Why wasn’t Honduras goalkeeper Menjivar sent off against Mexico after receiving two yellow cards?
A dramatic CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final was settled by a penalty shootout, during which Menjivar was booked for a second time.
The CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final between Mexico and Honduras wasn’t short of referee controversies, including an unusual one in the penalty shootout which decided which team progressed to the final four and the 2024 Copa América. Hondruan goalkeeper Edrick Menjivar was shown a yellow card towards the end of regulation time for time-wasting and another for moving off his line as César Huerta took the hosts’ fourth penalty. Yet no red card came his way.
Under normal circumstances, two yellows equal a red, right? This, however, is not a “normal circumstance” according to IFAB (the International Football Association Board), who set out the laws of the game.
Yellow cards from normal time don’t carry forward into penalty shootout
The Frequently Asked Questions section of their website explains what happens in this exact situation, with yellow cards from the match not carried over into the penalty shootout.
“Warnings and cautions (YCs) issued during the match (including during extra time) are not carried forward into kicks from the penalty mark (KFPM). A player who receives a YC during both the match and the KFPM is not sent off. The two separate cautions are reported to the appropriate authorities.”
What happens to players who are red carded in a penalty shootout?
As a point of interest, players who are shown a red card during a penalty shootout are not allowed to take part, although the opposition team is also negatively affected.
“The player is sent off and the opposing team must withdraw one player as well. The referee must be informed which player is being withdrawn.”
Menjivar was cautioned in the 86th minute for wasting time with his team 1-0 down at Estadio Azteca, which would have been enough to send them through on aggregate. After Edson Álvarez’s dramatic equaliser in the 11th minute of additional time took the tie to penalties, the Honduras goalkeeper was then booked again but would have needed to receive a second yellow card during the shootout to be sent off.