Four players suspended after hostile soccer game between US and Mexico

Four players have been suspended after last week’s bad-tempered soccer match between the US Men’s National Team (USMNT) and Mexico, which was marred by pushing and shoving between the two teams.

The contest was also ended about four minutes early following discriminatory chants from the crowd at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

The four players who were red carded during the match on June 15 have all been handed suspensions for “on-field player misconduct,” continental governing body Concacaf announced on Friday.

Mexico’s César Montes and USMNT’s Weston McKennie, whose shirt was ripped during a melee, have both received four-game suspensions, while Mexico’s Gerardo Arteaga and USMNT’s Sergiño Dest have been suspended for three games.

The suspensions include an automatic one-game ban and must be served during Concacaf national team competitions.

Tempers flared just before the 70-minute mark in the match as Montes kicked out at Folarin Balogun, resulting in a red card, before McKennie was also sent off for his role in the ensuing scuffle.

Then 15 minutes later, Arteaga and Dest were both shown straight red cards for pushing each other during another altercation between the two teams.

Concacaf also announced that a fine of an undisclosed amount had been imposed on both federations, who were warned that “more severe sanctions” would be taken should other incidents occur in their upcoming matches.

The USMNT won the match 3-0 and went on to win the Nations League title with a 2-0 victory against Canada three days later.

In the upcoming Gold Cup, the USMNT faces Jamaica in Chicago on Saturday and Mexico plays Honduras in Houston on Sunday.