Clint Dempsey sent off for tearing up referee's notebook as Seattle Sounders finish game with seven men

Seattle eventually fell to 3-1 defeat to Portland Timbers

Former Tottenham and Fulham striker Clint Dempsey was sent off in truly bizarre fashion as the Seattle Sounders finished with just seven men in the US Open Cup.

The Sounders, who were last year's champions, fell to a 3-1 defeat by the Portland Timbers after Brad Evans was sent off in the 69th minute and Obafemi Martins picked up an injury after all three of their substitutions had been made.

In extra time, Michael Aziri was then sent off before Dempsey, a 32-year-old with more than 100 international caps, had his moment of madness.

The striker was booked for arguing with the referee before grabbing his notebook out of his hand and then tearing it into pieces.

The referee had to be escorted from the pitch at the end of extra-time, while Sounders coach Sigi Schmid said he had to walk away because he "was maybe going to choke a referee".