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Abby Wambach: Ref seemed to ‘purposefully’ card players on yellows

U.S. women's national team forward Abby Wambach was critical of the officiating after Monday night's knockout round win over Colombia. 
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U.S. women's national team forward Abby Wambach was critical of the officiating after Monday night's knockout round win over Colombia. 

Wambach said she thought the French referee, Stephanie Frappart, “purposefully” issued yellow cards to players she knew would be suspended if they were carded. 

“I don’t know if they were yellows,” Wambach told reporters, according to Canada's Sportsnet. “It seemed like she was purposefully giving those yellows to, maybe players she knew were sitting on yellows. I don’t know if that’s a psychological thing. Who knows?”

American midfielders Megan Rapinoe and Lauren Holiday were both issued yellow cards in Monday's game, their second yellows of the tournament, and will be suspended for Friday's quarterfinal match against China. 

WAHL: USA, Morgan break through vs. Colombia

Holiday was carded on her first foul of the game, while Rapinoe's yellow came on her fourth foul. 

“I think I got it for an accumulation of calls, all of which were questionable, I felt like,” Rapinoe told reporters, according to USA Today. “I guess you could say I accumulated all those fouls so that's worth the yellow card. But (Holiday) got the yellow card on her very first foul of the game so I didn't think that was that fair.”

Rapinoe scored two goals in the United States' win over Australia in the group stage, while Holiday has played every minute of each U.S. game so far in the tournament. 

•​ KEY MOMENTS: Wambach's PK miss | Morgan's goal | Lloyd's PK make

- Dan Gartland