Whitecaps lose Leveron to suspension: San Jose’s Chavez has ban reduced

We love to complain about how referees continually sabotage the efforts of our favourite teams, and then look away when they make calls in our teams’ favours.

So, Whitecaps fans have something to chew on Wednesday morning. Would the Caps have been able to overcome the Galaxy by a 3-1 count Saturday had Johnny Leveron been sent off for his early two-footed scissor challenge on the Galaxy’s Jose Villarreal?

Leveron was given a yellow for the sliding foul he committed early in that match. But the MLS Disciplinary Committee ruled on it Wednesday, and deemed that it should have been red. Leveron has been suspended one game for a reckless challenge that endangered his opponent, and will miss the May 18 match against the Timbers.

Kwame Watson-Siriboe of Real Salt Lake was also suspended a game for raking his cleats across the bald head of Montreal Impact striker Marco Di Vaio Saturday at Stade Saputo. The Impact went on to win that game, 3-1.

The Disciplinary Committee had originally given San Jose Earthquakes striker Marvin Chavez a two-game ban for his elbow to Toronto FC’s Logan Emory in last Wednesday’s match between the two teams. San Jose won that match, and now the team has won the appeal. Commissioner Don Garber has reduced the suspension to one game.