Columbus Crew coach blasts MLS referee for sending off Ghana duo ahead Real Salt Lake trip

Columbus Crew coach Gregg Berhalter has bemoaned bad officiating in his side's 3-0 defeat to Philadelphia Union in the Major Soccer League on Wednesday.

The outspoken trainer was livid with the performance of referee Ismail Elfath in the encounter as they were forced to finish the game with nine men Ghanaian duo Jonathan Mensah and Abubakar Lalas were shown red cards.

And ahead of their clash with Real Salt Lake on Sunday, Berhalter reflected on the game and said his side were given a raw deal during an interview with the club's website.

'I take issue with everything, the whole performance with these referees."

'The first thing is, no matter how you look at the Mensah challenge, he ends up winning the ball trying to play the ball. He gets thrown out and it's a penalty kick."

'I'm not even sure it's inside the penalty box. When any type of contact is initiated, he comes away with the ball.'

'Lalas gets hammered as the ball is up in the air,' Berhalter continued.

'The referee calls a foul. Ilsinho is trying to block Lalas from getting the ball and playing on. He does a swim type of move to get around him and he gets a red card."

'Ilsinho should be ashamed of himself. That has no place in soccer, that type of acting. No place. He's really hurt? He got hit in the face? Seriously?

'Again, to me the whole presentation of the game was disgraceful.

'These referees, the way they officiated this game has nothing to do with soccer.'

Crew currently sit sixth on the league table after 22 games.