The MLS Disciplinary Commmittee on Tuesday suspended and fined three players and one head coach following the Week 16 slate of matches last weekend.
FC Dallas left back Jair Benítez was suspended one match (Saturday vs. Sporting KC) for his head butt on Portland Timbers forward Frédéric Piquionne in the 40th minute on Saturday afternoon (WATCH THE INCIDENT HERE) in Portland. He was not carded during the match.
Vancouver forward Kekuta Manneh was also banned one game (Wednesday vs. Chivas USA) for a reckless challenge against New England Revolution goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth in the 75th minute of Saturday night's 4-3 Whitecaps win (WATCH THE PLAY HERE).
The Vancouver youngster clipped Shuttleworth in the head after chasing a ball in the box and he received a yellow card on the play. However, the "Committee unanimously considered the challenge to be an unequivocal red card offense that endangered the safety of his opponent" and sanctioned the 18-year-old with a one-match suspension.
The Colorado Rapids will be missing Hendry Thomas and manager Oscar Pareja for their midweek match in Chicago on Wednesday (8:30 pm ET, MLS LIVE) after both were issued a one-game ban for their actions in Saturday night's 2-1 home loss to San Jose.
Thomas was disciplined for a tackle on the Earthquakes' Steven Beitashour in first-half stoppage time that was deemed "a reckless challenge that endangered the safety of his opponent" (WATCH THE PLAY HERE).
Pareja was issued an automatic suspension after he "left his technical area and entered the field of play" in the 49th minute against the Quakes (WATCH THE INCIDENT HERE). According to the official release from the league, Pareja "will not be permitted on the sideline or the locker room" when his team faces the Fire on Wednesday night (8:30 pm ET, MLS LIVE).
