Sounders forward Clint Dempsey rips referee's notebook, receives red card

Seattle Sounders forward Clint Dempsey ripped up a referee’s notebook after receiving a red card

Seattle Sounders forward Clint Dempsey was sent off for ripping up a referee’s notebook during a U.S. Open Cup match against the Portland Timbers on Tuesday.

Portland beat Seattle 3–1 in the fourth round of U.S. Open Cup, scoring two late goals as the Sounders finished the match with only seven players.

The ejections started when defender Brad Evans was tossed in the 69th minute after receiving his second yellow card.

After forward Obafemi Martins scored the equalizer in the 79th minute, he was injured just minutes later and left the pitch on a stretcher. Seattle was left with nine players, having already used all of its substitutions.

Police are literally escorting the refs off the field. Don't think I've ever seen this before. pic.twitter.com/qVxYyZmTaU

— Jackie Montgomery (@MissJMontgomery) June 17, 2015

In the 113th minute, Sounders midfielder Michael Azira was also hit with a red card for an elbow to the face of forward Gaston Fernandez and Dempsey angrily protested, proceeding toward referee Daniel Radford, taking a notebook from his hands.

Dempsey picked the notebook up from the playing field and ripped it into pieces.

Dempsey got one yellow, then a red card for ripping the notebook and had to be restrained by teammates following the incident.

U.S. Soccer Federation policy states that "damaging the referee's uniform or personal property" is considered referee assault, which draws a minimum three-month ban. 

Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid said he wasn't pleased with the officiating throughout the match.

“Caleb [Porter] said at the end of the [US Open Cup] game last year that it was the worst refereeing performance he’d ever seen,” Schmid said, according to MLSSoccer.com. “Well, I think it was topped.”

Police had to escort the referees off the field after the match.

- Scooby Axson