The Seattle Sounders, already missing midfield general Osvaldo Alonso due to injury, are about to trudge ahead without central midfielder Shalrie Joseph until at least June 22.
The MLS Disciplinary Committee announced Friday it has tacked on a one-game ban to Joseph's automatic red-card suspension for an incident involving LA Galaxy midfielder Marcelo Sarvas in the closing stages of a 4-0 Sounders defeat at the Home Depot Center last Sunday (above).
Joseph, who was also fined an undisclosed amount by the committee, clattered into Sarvas in the 87th minute, lifting both of his arms into the face of the LA midfielder. The Sounders veteran received a straight red card on the play.
The additional game was issued for "violent conduct," with the Disciplinary Committee unanimously determining "that the act was egregious, involving contact above the shoulders that endangered the safety of his opponent."
Joseph's combined suspension of two matches will be served on Saturday at Chivas USA and June 8 at Vancouver. The Sounders' following league matches doesn't come until June 22 at Real Salt Lake.
The Disciplinary Committee has also given San Jose Earthquakes defender Victor Bernardez a two-game suspension for his reckless play on FC Dallas forward Kenny Cooper in the 66th minute of FCD's 1-0 win last Saturday. Bernardez and Cooper slid out of bounds together while chasing a loose ball, but Bernardez can clearly be seen on replay kicking Cooper in the head well out of bounds [VIDEO].
Bernardez was given a yellow card on the play, and the Committee unanimously determined that the act was egregious, an unequivocal red card, and endangered the safety of his opponent, who suffered a concussion as a result of the foot-to-head contact on the play. Cooper did not continue in the game.
The yellow card issued to Bernardez will not count against his accumulation; he currently has four. Bernardez will serve his suspension Saturday at Real Salt Lake and June 15 at Colorado Rapids.
The Disciplinary Committee also fined Red Bulls head coach Mike Petke $2,000 "for public criticism of the officials" after his team's 2-2 draw against the Columbus Crew on Sunday.
Petke himself predicted the fine in his postgame press conference after criticizing referee Geoff Gamble for awarding a disputed penalty to the Crew.
