BURNLEY, England (AP) — West Bromwich Albion overcame Semi Ajayi’s first-half red card but wasted several scoring chances in a 0-0 draw against Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday.
Mike Dean, refereeing his first match since asking for a break after receiving death threats on social media, dismissed Ajayi after the defender’s handball denied Matej Vydra from going clean through on goal.
That left the relegation-threatened visitors to play with 10 men for the remaining hour but they had the clearer chances after the break, with Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Mbaye Diagne and Matheus Pereira all going close.
Diagne clattered the top of the crossbar from close range while Pereira’s effort was blocked on the line by James Tarkowski, with West Brom settling for a draw that leaves them 11 points adrift of Premier League safety.
Burnley is nine points clear of the drop zone.
———
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
CORRECTS ID OF PLAYER West Bromwich Albion’s Kyle Bartley reacts as referee Mike Dean shows a red card to Semi Ajayi during the English Premier League soccer match between Burnley and West Bromwich Albion at Turf Moor stadium in Burnley, England, Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021.
Clive Brunskill
