USA file official protest over cards issued to Jermaine Jones and Bobby Wood

The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) have filed a formal protest over discipline handed out to two of their players during the Copa America quarterfinal match against Ecuador.

The USA won 2-1 and advanced to the semifinals, but as it stands right now will be without three of their starters as Jermaine Jones, Alejandro Bedoya, and Bobby Wood are all suspended. Jones received a questionable red card in the win, while Bedoya and Wood each picked up their second yellow cards of the tournament.

An official protest has been filed against the cards issued to Jermaine Jones and Bobby Wood in #USAvECU

— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) June 17, 2016

A protest regarding Jones' incident seems the most likely to succeed. U.S. Soccer's press officier explained why they think it was the wrong call.

"Our argument on Jones is that it's a misinterpretation of Law 12, which was amended June 1 and states that contact to the face or head shall not warrant a red card if the force was 'negligible.'"

-Michael Kammarman; Source: ESPNFC

The protest over Wood's yellow card seems a little more wishful, while they won't bother trying to overturn Bedoya's suspension.

Could the USMNT have Jones back for the semifinal? That too seems doubtful. If the protest is won, the red card could be downgraded to a yellow and he'd still be suspended due to yellow card accumulation.