Leo Gonzalez was given a retroactive red card for his challenge of Sheanon Williams late in Saturday's game and Fernando Cardenas had his red card against Real Salt Lake rescinded, the MLS Disciplinary Committee announced on Tuesday. Gonzalez will serve his suspension on Wednesday when the Seattle Sounders visit FC Dallas.
Leo Gonzalez Fined Suspended; Fernando Cardenas’ Red Rescinded
Sounders defender Leo Gonzalez will sit out Wednesday’s game against FC Dallas; Revolution will have Fernando Cardenas available immediately.
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Replays of Gonzalez’s 88th-minute challenge appear to show Gonzalez, at the very least, making no attempt at all to avoid stepping on Williams and possibly even doing it on purpose.
The overturning of Cardenas' red card is a first for the Disciplinary Committee, which only this year started a formal review process in which teams are permitted to challenge suspensions they believe were given unfairly. In Cardenas' case, video replays appeared to show that he never actually made contact with RSL defender Jamison Olave. That the committee was willing to second-guess the referee in this case appears to be the right decision.
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