Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano questioned the referee’s decision to give LAFC player Nathan Ordaz a yellow card during the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal series at BMO Stadium on Wednesday night, saying it would have prompted a red card “here and in China and the moon.”

In the first half, Ordaz appeared to elbow Miami defender Maximiliano Falcón in the face, causing match official Oshane Nation into a lengthy VAR review to analyze the action. After several minutes, the referee showed a yellow card to the striker before continuing the game.

But Mascherano insisted post-match that the action should’ve been enough to expel the player.

“It was clear [the yellow card], in the end it’s not up for interpretation. Here there is no interpretation,” he said. “I leave it to you [reporters] for opinions, I just have to plan the game and try to give the tools to the players. You guys that see the game from afar should give an opinion. But I’ll make it clear, an aggression without a ball in a red card, here and in China and the moon.”

Ordaz went on to score the only goal of the match in the second half, inspiring LAFC to triumph 1-0 over Inter Miami and carry an advantage into the second leg. The Herons will now host LAFC on April 9 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in a final battle for a ticket to the semifinal.

Mascherano insists Inter Miami can still turn the series around, tapping into the support of the fan base at Chase Stadium to pull a comeback.

“It hurts to lose but we are in a race and think that with our people, in our home, we can make a good game and turn it around,” Mascherano said. “I have no doubt about that and surely we will try to do so. we will need the support of our people to help us turn around.”

Inter Miami will be without staple midfielder Sergio Busquets for the second leg due to yellow card accumulation.

“Obviously, It is a big loss. We know everything Sergio gives the team. Not only in terms of game, but everything that it uses from the knowledge of the game and for his teammates too.”

Inter Miami has not yet reached the semifinal stage of the Concacaf Champions Cup, falling to CF Monterrey in the quarterfinals in 2024.