The MLS Disciplinary Committee has suspended Real Salt Lake midfielder Sunday Stephen, fined New York City FC forward Steven Mendoza and found the Portland Timbers in violation of the league’s mass confrontation policy for actions taken in Week 27 of the MLS season, the league announced on Tuesday.
Sunny contact on Adi
The Disciplinary Committee has suspended RSL’s Sunday “Sunny” Stephen for a challenge on Portland forward Fanendo Adi in the 42nd minute of Salt Lake’s 1-0 loss at the Timbers on Saturday.
Adi made the initial challenge, sliding in an attempt to win a loose ball ahead of the onrushing Sunny. The Nigerians both made contact with each other on the play, with Adi clipping Sunny’s foot and Sunny appearing to step on Adi’s shin while the striker was on the ground.
Sunny was issued a yellow card on the play, but the Disciplinary Committee unanimously ruled that the action was “serious foul play that endangered the safety” of Adi. Sunny will be suspended for RSL’s home match against Houston on Saturday and will be issued an undisclosed fine for the action.
Mendoza simulation
The Disciplinary Committee unanimously ruled that NYCFC’s Steven Mendoza was guilty of simulation in New York’s 3-1 loss at the New England Revolution on Saturday.
Mendoza went to ground in the box following a challenge from Revs defender Andrew Farrell in the seventh-minute of Saturday’s match at Gillette Stadium. Mendoza didn’t appear to have been touched by Farrell and took a full step toward the ball before falling. He’ll be issued an undisclosed fine for the action.
Portland mass confrontation
The Disciplinary Committee found the Portland Timbers in violation of the league’s mass confrontation policy in Saturday’s match against RSL. The Timbers violated the policy, which penalizes teams when three or more individuals confront a referee or opponent, after Diego Chara was whistled for a foul on Salt Lake’s Yura Movsisyan deep in the attacking third in the 87th minute of Saturday’s match at Providence Park.
This is the Timbers first mass confrontation violation of the 2016 season. Clubs are issued a warning the first time they are found to violate the league’s mass confrontation policy, with the next violation resulting in a fine of $5,000 for the club and $1,000 to the head coach.
