REVEALED: Why Manuel Ugarte Was NOT Sent Off After Two Yellow Cards vs England

Confusion took centre stage during the international friendly between Uruguay national team and England national team on Friday night, as Manuel Ugarte somehow avoided a red card despite appearing to be shown two yellow cards.

The incident left fans, players, and even the commentary team stunned, with many initially believing the Manchester United midfielder had been sent off. Instead, after a brief period of uncertainty, Ugarte remained on the pitch in what quickly became one of the most talked-about moments of the match.

The drama unfolded midway through the game when Ugarte committed what looked like another bookable offence. The referee reached for his pocket and produced a yellow card — seemingly Ugarte’s second of the night. By the laws of the game, that should have resulted in an automatic red card and dismissal.

However, to widespread confusion, Ugarte did not leave the field.

Commentators Sam Matterface and Lee Dixon were quick to question what had just happened. Matterface noted during the broadcast that the caution appeared to “not exist,” while Dixon admitted he had rarely seen anything like it.

Moments later, some clarity began to emerge. According to information relayed from the fourth official, the second yellow card had been rescinded by the referee — a highly unusual decision in football.

Matterface reacted with disbelief, saying: “The second yellow apparently, according to the fourth official, was rescinded. Which I don’t think you can do… maybe the laws of the game have changed a little bit early.”

His confusion reflected a wider uncertainty about whether such a decision is even permitted under the current rules.

So what actually happened?

Post-match explanations suggested the situation may have been a case of mistaken identity. It is believed that José María Giménez was the player who should have received the earlier yellow card — not Ugarte. If true, that would mean Ugarte had only committed one bookable offence, making a sending-off incorrect.

This is where recent developments in football rules come into play. The International Football Association Board (IFAB), which oversees the laws of the game, has been expanding the role of VAR in situations involving red cards.

Under updated guidelines expected to feature at major tournaments like the next World Cup, VAR can intervene in cases where a red card results from a clearly incorrect second yellow card. They can also step in when the wrong player is penalised — known as mistaken identity.

In simple terms, if the referee books the wrong player or wrongly issues a second yellow, the decision can now be corrected before it leads to a dismissal.

Although this match was only a friendly, it appears the officials applied that principle. Rather than sending Ugarte off incorrectly, they chose to reverse the second booking — allowing the game to continue without a major officiating error.

Still, the situation raised eyebrows because such interventions are rarely seen so clearly in real time, especially without a long stoppage or on-field review.

Interestingly, Ugarte’s night did not last much longer anyway. Uruguay manager Marcelo Bielsa opted to substitute the midfielder shortly after the incident, possibly to avoid further risk or controversy.

Beyond the refereeing drama, the match itself delivered plenty of late excitement.

Ben White experienced a night full of highs and lows after coming on for England. The Arsenal defender was initially met with boos from sections of the crowd, but he quickly responded in the best possible way.

White found himself in the right place at the right time, arriving at the back post to tap in and give England the lead — a moment that seemed to mark a positive return under manager Thomas Tuchel.

However, the story took another twist deep into stoppage time.

White was adjudged to have conceded a penalty following a challenge inside the box. Uruguay midfielder Federico Valverde stepped up and calmly converted in the 94th minute, rescuing a draw for his side.

The decision to award the penalty sparked debate, with Harry Maguire among those who felt it was harsh.

“It’s soft,” Maguire said after the match. “He’s kicked the ball over the bar. Ben just goes to try to block the shot. It’s not a bad tackle, it’s not malicious. It’s part and parcel of defending in the box — there is going to be contact.”

In the end, the match finished level, but the talking point remained Ugarte’s bizarre escape from what looked like a certain red card.

While football continues to evolve with new technology and rule interpretations, moments like this show that the game is still capable of surprising even its most experienced observers. For fans, it was a reminder that while the laws of football may be written in black and white, their application on the pitch can sometimes fall into a very grey area.