‘It’s an embarrassment’ – Pat Noonan went scorched earth on refs after ‘Hell is Real’ draw

The FC Cincinnati coach was not about to let a possible offside call go unaddressed

Pat Noonan did not hold back in his post-game press conference after his FC Cincinnati side drew the Columbus Crew 2-2 in the “Hell is Real” derby on Saturday, calling the officiating an “embarrassment in our league.”

Steven Moreira equalized for Columbus deep into second-half stoppage time to earn a valuable away draw, but it was the Crew’s first goal that Noonan was very eager to address after the game.

Derrick Etienne appeared to be offside on his 74th-minute header, which was not reviewed by the video assistant referee.

When it was posited to Noonan that observers were interested in the Crew’s first goal, the FC Cincy coach was ready with a response.

“They’re interested because it’s f—–g clear,” Noonan shot back.

“That’s why they’re interested, because this has happened to a point now where it’s an embarrassment in our league. It’s not just us, I will continue to say that, but it is a huge problem that guys that put in that much continue to get punished by just really really poor officiating across the board.

“And the reasons you get for the offside goal, the checkpoint’s different than what they see in Atlanta [at the Video Review Center]. How can the checkpoint be different? How do you not have that view? How can you not just look at that and say, ‘I should check this. This is something that doesn’t look right.’

“But again, that’s the norm. So right now I’m the excuse guy and that stinks, but I want to protect our players because they put too much into it to be robbed like that.”

The draw saw Columbus stay in the seventh and final playoff position in the Eastern Conference, one point above Cincinnati in eighth place.

Watch Noonan’s post-game rant

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