SEATTLE, WASHINGTON (APRIL 13, 2018) – Clint Dempsey will have to wait one more week to make his way back to the pitch.
Clint Dempsey Suspension Extended an Extra Match by MLS
MLS announced on Thursday that the forward’s suspension, attained against FC Dallas on March 18, has been extended one more match.
Dempsey will miss Sunday’s match against Sporting Kansas City. He already missed the match against the Montreal Impact on March 31.
In a statement released by the league, the MLS Disciplinary Committee has also added a fine against Dempsey.
“The MLS Disciplinary Committee has suspended Seattle Sounders forward Clint Dempsey one additional game (two games total) and fined him an undisclosed amount for violent conduct in the 37th minute of Seattle’s game against FC Dallas on March 18,” the league stated.
On Thursday, Sounders FC Head Coach Brian Schmetzer sounded off on the decision. Schmetzer spoke on the incident at his weekly press conference.
“We will miss Clint,” Schmetzer said. “I didn’t think he deserved a red card —he was slapping [Jacori Hayes’] hand away — and I don’t think it should have been two [matches]. We’re just trying to push past it. I don’t agree with it.”
“At this point in time, we have to focus on Sporting KC.”
On the latest injury report, updated on April 9, the Sounders are also without a number of names for Sunday’s tilt. Jordan Morris, Osvaldo Alonso, Victor Rodriguez and Kim Kee-Hee have all been ruled as out.
Henry Wingo is questionable with a left thumb injury. Kelvin Leerdam will also be unavailable due to a red card against the Montreal Impact.
Meanwhile, the Sounders are still winless in the 2018 season, losing all three MLS matches.
“You always plan for the worst-case scenario,” Schmetzer said. “You always hope for the best. Again, we are pushing past it.”
Social Media Reaction
https://twitter.com/Zakuani11/status/984478872103075840
@MLS needs to take a hard look at video review and discipline if they think the extra game suspension for @clint_dempsey does anything other than make #MLS look incompetent #Sounders #SoundersFC @SoundersFC
— Steve Baus (@Steve_Baus) April 12, 2018
https://twitter.com/scotturst/status/984642600798834689
Sounders Fans: “Why’d MLS take so long doing this?”
Article explains that it was Dempsey doing the delaying.
Sounders Fans: “I’m so angry at MLS right now! Clint Dempsey is a target and an innocent victim! Lies!!”
— Jer (@AdvenJerLand) April 13, 2018
