Real Salt Lake attacker Robbie Findley was left to rue what might have been after his side were beaten in a penalty shootout by Sporting Kansas City in the MLS Cup final on Saturday.
The Utah club scored first through Alvaro Saborio in the 52nd minute and were on the attack in the 69th minute when Aurelien Collin brought down Findley outside the area.
The French defender, who went on to head home a 74th minute leveller as well as convert in the shootout, had already been booked by that point suggesting to Findley that the outcome could have been quite different if the referee got it right.
"I definitely thought it was a second yellow," Findley told MLSsoccer.com.
"It's the decision [the referee] made, and I can't really do anything about it. We know there were going to be calls that were going their way."
RSL head coach Jason Kreis also bemoaned some of Collin's actions throughout the contest.
"Would it surprise you if I said I don't remember that play?" Kreis said in his post-game press conference.
"I think there was a lot of taking down by Collin throughout the match. Really, really undisciplined stuff in the first half. One time he wasn't even called for the foul."
Nevertheless, Real Salt Lake were forced in extra-time and then penalties but came up short as SKC edged them 7-6 in a tense shootout at Sporting Park to be crowned 2013 MLS champions.
