Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Tim Melia was suspended for Wednesday night’s game against the Los Angeles Galaxy due to violent conduct in the club’s previous match.
The MLS Disciplinary Committee also fined Melia an undisclosed amount for his wrestling-like takedown of the Seattle Sounders’ Cristian Roldan on Saturday.
Melia was working to prevent a Seattle goal and Roldan was right at the net when Melia grabbed him and violently slammed him to the ground inside the net. Sporting Kansas City won the match 2-1.
The punishment comes at a tough time for Sporting KC (55 points) as it trails Seattle by three points in the battle for first place in the Western Conference. The Colorado Rapids also have 55 points entering Wednesday.
The 35-year-old Melia has a 1.08 goals-against average and seven shutouts in 25 matches this season. He has 59 clean sheets in 192 matches over seven seasons during his Sporting Kansas City tenure.
The only other goalie to see action for Sporting this season is John Pulskamp, who has a 1.40 GAA in five matches.
–Field Level Media
