By MATTHEW LEVINE

Staff Writer

Harrison, N.J.– The New York Red Bulls won’t be laughing at the way they dropped points to the San Jose Earthquakes. However, head coach Mike Petke saw humor in the way the game was officiated.

“With 21-7 fouls against us, it’s laughable. I just sit back and laugh. I told the fourth official, ‘I’m not even yelling at you, I’m just going to laugh,’ it’s funny it’s become that. No reason why we tied this game.

“It’s just unenjoyable to sit there and watch stuff like that.”

The Red Bulls finished with a 1-1 draw after Bradley Wright-Phillips’ opener (his 17th goal of the season – fifth straight game with a goal – was cancelled out by an 85th minute Stephen Lenhart goal, which was his first of the season.

Petke refused to blame the official for not getting all three points.

“Yeah, what I said was that I’m not blaming us not getting a win on that and I won’t. Perhaps I could, but I won’t,” said Petke.

However, that doesn’t mean he was happy with the calls.

“How many times tonight did a player of ours certainly get fouled with no call? Only to five [or] six seconds later, in their transition, call a foul for them and it turns into a scoring opportunity,” he said. “It happened numerous times tonight and most of the times I’m talking about we did foul them, but there was blatantly and clearly fouls on us previously.

“By not calling that [and] then calling [a foul against us], it gives them a goal-scoring opportunity, it’s just laughable.”

The Red Bulls had two rookies in their back line against the Earthquakes, but have had three in previous games. Whether that has played a role in the Red Bulls not getting calls from officials, Petke didn’t know.

“I honestly can’t answer these questions because I just don’t know. There could be a thousand possibilities. All I know is that it’s become, not just with me [or] my team, [but] talking with other coaches and watching other MLS games, it’s become a serious problem,” he said. “To me it’s always in this league been a problem. It’s become a serious problem. At the end of the day, I’m sure it will continue.”

The Red Bulls’ head coach once again brought up that officials are even targeting certain players.

“We have players on our team that have been targeted,” he said. “I was told by the fourth official. He didn’t play tonight, by the way. I was told by the fourth official [that] in two previous games they’ve been told about this player [and] to keep an eye on him. He’s been suspended twice,” he said.

While Petke criticized the officiating, he pointed out his lack of certain terms — particularly in the face of a possible fine.

“Notice how I have not used a word that starts with ‘R’ or ‘O’. I have not used that,” Petke made sure to point out. “I just said there were things tonight that were laughable.”

Now that is at least worth a chuckle.