GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany -- Owen Hargreaves blamed Argentine referee Horacio Elizondo for ruining England's chances against Portugal on Saturday by unjustly sending off Wayne Rooney.
Rooney saw red in the 62nd minute when he trod on Ricardo Carvalho's groin and then pushed a protesting Cristiano Ronaldo, but Hargreaves said the Elizondo should have blown for a foul on Rooney seconds before.
"The sending-off had a massive effect on the game. The referee could have blown for a foul on Wayne (Rooney) earlier, as it was two against one," Hargreaves said.