Four players involved in a heated soccer match between the US Men’s National Team (USMNT) and Mexico have been suspended following the aggressive nature of the game and controversial crowd behavior.
Last week’s match at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas was marred by fans pushing, shoving and discriminatory chants, which limited the bout to about four minutes. Concacaf, soccer’s governing body in North and Central America, announced the suspension on Friday citing “on-field player misconduct”.
Mexico’s Cesar Montes and USMNT’s Weston McKinney, whose shirts were ripped during the brawl, received the harshest punishments, with both players suspended for four games. Gerardo Arteaga from Mexico and Sergiño Dest from the USMNT were each handed three-game suspensions. Suspensions carry an automatic one-game ban and must be served during Concacaf national team competitions.
Tensions reached a boiling point just before the 70-minute mark when Montes sent off Folarin Balogun, resulting in a red card. Soon after, McKinney was also fired for his involvement in the ensuing brawl. Fifteen minutes later, another altercation between Arteaga and Deist led to both players receiving straight red cards for shoving each other.
In addition to the suspension, Concacaf imposed an undisclosed fine on both federations involved in the match. They were also warned that further incidents in their future matches would result in more severe bans. CNN has reached out to the US and Mexican federations for comment on the matter.
The USMNT went on to win the match 3–0. They claimed the Nations League title three days later with a 2–0 victory over Canada. The teams now prepare for the upcoming Gold Cup, where the USMNT takes on Jamaica in Chicago on Saturday, and Mexico takes on Honduras in Houston on Sunday.
The suspension serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining the game and fair play on the field. Such disciplinary measures are intended to discourage future incidents and promote a positive and respectful atmosphere at football matches.
