The three red cards awarded in the Italy - United States Group E clash on Saturday equalled a World Cup finals record.
American Eddie Pope (47 minutes), for a second bookable offence, followed team mate Pablo Mastroeni and Italian Daniele De Rossi, who were given their marching orders by Jorge Larrionda (Uruguay) in the first half with straight reds.
There have been three dismissals in three previous World Cup finals matches -- 1938 Brazil v Czechoslovakia, 1954 Brazil v Hungary and 1998 Denmark v South Africa.