NEW YORK – The referee may have missed it, but the MLS Disciplinary Committee did not.
Real Salt Lake midfielder Javier Morales on Monday was punished with a fine and a one-game suspension after TV images caught him retaliating against Seattle's Osvaldo Alonso just moments after the Cuban fouled him close to midfield.
In the 40th minute of last week's match between Real Salt Lake and Seattle at Qwest Field, referee Paul Ward awarded RSL a free kick after Alonso's hard challenge on Morales.
Before the set piece was to be delivered into the box by RSL's Nelson Gonzalez, Morales is seen jawing with Alonso and delivering a knee to Alonso's midsection.
The MLS Disciplinary Committee stated that the unsportsmanlike act "constituted a red card offense" and as such Morales was fined and suspended for his club's upcoming match against the Chicago Fire on Saturday.
