There was but one major talking point in the aftermath of LA Galaxy's 1-1 draw against Portland Timbers in MLS on Sunday night, and that was the truly horrendous tackle made by Nigel De Jong on his midfielder counterpart, Darlington Nagbe.
With 20 minutes or so left on the clock, De Jong left Nagbe sprawling on the turf in agony after flooring the US international with a reckless studs-up challenge. The Galaxy man was duly shown just a yellow card for his sins.
Unsurprisingly, the Timbers' official Twitter account was less than impressed with De Jong's conduct, directing an aggrieved message at Galaxy that mentioned a similarly terrible tackle made the last time the two sides met.
Hey @LAGalaxy, last year this acct justified a RC on Ridgewell w/a pic of a bruise. Any pithy commentary on De Jong? Are you even surprised?
- Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) April 11, 2016
Galaxy then responded by ill-advisedly attempting to lighten the mood, asking if Timbers' infamously impulsive CEO Merritt Paulson was the man charged with running the club's Twitter account that night.
@TimbersFC Merritt? Is this you? - LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) April 11, 2016
Of course, the joke did not go down well at all.
@LAGalaxy Sorry we don't find signing dirty players funny. But have at it.
- Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) April 11, 2016
Yikes.