CONCACAF suspends four US, and Mexico players after semi-final

CONCACAF has announced the suspension of United States players Weston McKennie and Sergino Dest, as well as Mexico defenders Cesar Montes and Gerardo Arteaga, for their “on-field player misconduct” during the Nations League semi-final match last week.

McKennie and Montes have been handed four-match suspensions by the North, Central America, and Caribbean governing body for soccer, while Dest and Arteaga will serve three-match bans, including an automatic one-match suspension.

The disciplinary action was taken following an incident in which Montes was sent off, and the United States was reduced to 10 men after McKennie received a red card during a melee.

The match spiralled out of control, resulting in the dismissals of Dest and Arteaga, and a temporary halt due to homophobic chants from the crowd.

Despite the chaos, the United States emerged victorious with a 3-0 win over Mexico, thanks in part to a Christian Pulisic brace.

Both McKennie and Dest are not part of the United States squad for the upcoming Gold Cup, while Montes and Arteaga have been included in Mexico’s roster.

It remains unclear whether the missed games by McKennie and Dest will count towards their suspensions. Reuters has reached out to U.S. soccer for further clarification.

In addition to the player suspensions, CONCACAF has also sanctioned the football federations of both countries. The Committee has imposed undisclosed fines on both federations and issued a warning that more severe penalties could be imposed if similar incidents occur during their future matches in CONCACAF national team competitions, as stated in a press release on Friday.

Over the weekend, the United States clinched their second consecutive Nations League title by defeating Canada 2-0 in Las Vegas.