The United States men’s national team bounced out of Copa America 2024 Monday night due to a loss to Uruguay. Gregg Berhalter’s team had to beat the South Americans on the night to remain in the tournament. This was due to Panama topping Bolivia in the other Group C matchup on the night. The results, however, mean that both Uruguay and Panama advanced to the knockout stage.
The disappointing night was particularly frustrating for the Americans due to the officiating in their game. Peruvian referee Kevin Ortega was in charge of the match and regularly made a series of odd calls throughout the night. Undoubtedly the most bizarre decision by Ortega came in the 32nd minute when the ref simultaneously showed USMNT defender Chris Richards a yellow card and allowed Uruguay to play on.
Luckily for the Americans, Uruguay did not score at the moment despite having a huge advantage. Rules clearly state that play must immediately stop once a card is in the process of being issued. After the match, USMNT midfielder Tyler Adams claimed to have never experienced such an incident before in his career. American captain Christian Pulisic also stated similar opinions on the referee following the loss.
A dubious VAR incident also marred the match as well. Ortega, however, is not in control of video replays as a match referee. Nevertheless, the referee’s antics did not stop following the final whistle. Ortega was also seen refusing to shake Pulisic’s hand after the game. Despite the refereeing blunders, the USMNT ultimately failed by not scoring a goal on the night.
According to reports in his native country, Ortega has been a professional referee since 2015. The official started by working Peruvian Primera and Segunda Division matches at this time, but subsequently gained his FIFA status in 2019. This opened up an opportunity to referee games at the international level.
Ortega was among the referees officiating men’s soccer matches at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He was also a fourth official and VAR for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The Peruvian referee was even on the sidelines for the USMNT’s win against Iran at the tournament.
Despite regularly featuring in significant matches, Ortega is no stranger to controversy. Former Sport Huancayo star Marcio Valverde claimed that the ref insulted him on the pitch and then threatened to send him off if he celebrated scoring a goal back in 2020.
Just months later, Ortega was then back in the news after showing Santos goalkeeper Diego Penny a red card late in a game. Penny asserted that the referee also verbally attacked him and even winked at the keeper following the sending-off.
Ortega once again found himself embattled in controversy following a Copa Libertadores fixture in 2022. The matchup, between Boca Juniors and Bolivian side Always Ready, ultimately ended with the Argentine club receiving a late penalty kick. The decision was immediately seen as incorrect and resulted in a Boca victory.
Following the game, news reports showed Ortega received gifts from the Argentine team. According to the aforementioned report, local police seized the gifts, which included Boca Juniors jerseys.
Despite the series of issues, Ortega has never faced sanctions from FIFA. He continues to earn selections for matches from different committees. The poor performance and the decision to even have Ortega present at the tournament is not a good look for Copa America officials. It also leaves a black eye on the tournament as hosts United States will also arrange the 2026 World Cup.
PHOTOS: IMAGO
