Toronto FC wonders about Ricketts red card in 0-0 tie with Orlando City

TORONTO — It was a refereeing decision that Toronto FC captain Michael Bradley called a “bit of a head-scratcher.”

With 20 minutes left in Toronto’s 0-0 tie with Orlando City on Wednesday night, TFC striker Jozy Altidore sent a short looping cross into the Orlando penalty area. Tosaint Ricketts, his back to goal, did the only thing he could think of to get a foot to the ball.

He tried a bicycle kick.

The TFC midfielder missed and toppled to the ground. So did six-foot-four Uruguayan defender Jose Aja, clutching his face.

Referee Alan Kelly produced a yellow and then Ricketts saw red, since he had already collected a caution in the 56th minute.

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The sending-off killed Toronto’s attempt to get the go-ahead goal. Orlando, 14 points behind Toronto in the standings, was able to secure a road tie and end a three-game slide.

Bradley believes Kelly should have kept his card in his pocket and just call a foul.

“It’s easy for me to say now, because obviously we’re on the wrong end of it but I don’t like that call,” Bradley said after pausing to gather his thoughts in the Toronto locker-room. “I think it’s so easy to just call a foul and give them a free kick and move on. And at the end of it, one minute later there isn’t anybody still talking about that play. It’s such an innocuous play. The ball is still there for Tosaint to try to win himself and score. I certainly think the defender makes a lot of it.

“So it’s a little bit of a head-scratcher, for sure.”

Replays seemed to suggest that Aja had escaped being hit in the face with Ricketts’ boot. And Ricketts, who now faces a one-game suspension, insisted there was no contact.

“I see it as a goal-scoring opportunity,” he said. “The ball was in a position where that (the bicycle kick) was pretty much my only choice. It was either that or leave it. And I felt like I didn’t touch him (Aja) but if the referee thought that wasn’t the case, then there’s nothing I can do.”

“It is what it is. It’s done now. It’s unfortunate. But I guess we’ll just see what happens from here,” he added.

Toronto coach Greg Vanney said he will review the incident and contact the league as needed, noting there are harsh sanctions for embellishment.

Kelly is not known for flashing red cards although he is not shy about handing out yellows. According to PRO (the Professional Referee Organization), he gave out two reds and 62 yellows in his previous 19 MLS matches.

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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press