Claudio Marchisio sent off with red card (GIF)

Italy were forced to play most of the second half against Uruguay one man down after Claudio Marchisio was sent off with a red card in the 59th minute.

Marchisio was trying to maintain possession when an official ruled that he went over the top of the ball, which is an automatic red card. Marchisio stepped over the ball while attempting to make a turn and dug his cleat into the leg of Uruguay’s Egidio Arevalo Rios.

Mario Balotelli had already received his second yellow card of the tournament earlier in the game for this flying kick to the head.

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Uruguay went on to defeat Italy 1-0, which was probably just as well for the Italians. They would have been missing two of their better players in Balotelli and Marchisio if they advanced to the knockout stage.

GIF via @myregularface
Photo: Twitter/ESPN FC