Piero Hincapie's season concluded with a red card during Ecuador's World Cup exit on Tuesday, after being sent off in the last-32 match against co-hosts Mexico.
The Arsenal defender was ejected in second-half stoppage time of Ecuador's 2-0 defeat. The incident occurred when Hincapie appeared to cover his mouth while speaking to Mexico's substitute striker Santiago Gimenez. The referee, Slavko Vincic, was alerted to the infraction by Gimenez and his teammates. After reviewing video evidence, Vincic showed Hincapie a red card.
Hincapie's dismissal marks the second time a player has been sent off for this specific offense at the current World Cup. Paraguay's Miguel Almiron was previously red-carded for a similar incident against Turkey. Almiron received a one-game ban for the offense.
The rule against covering the mouth during confrontations was implemented for this World Cup following an incident in February. Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni was involved in a high-profile case where he covered his mouth while speaking to Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr. Prestianni received a six-match ban, with three suspended, after being found guilty of homophobic conduct.
Hincapie's send-off occurred as Ecuador faced elimination from the tournament. The 24-year-old defender had a notable season for Arsenal, contributing to their first Premier League title in 22 years.