FIFA bans Messi for 4 Cup qualifiers
GENEVA >> Lionel Messi is banned from Argentina’s next four World Cup qualifying games, dealing a blow to a campaign by the 2014 runner-up that has stuttered without him.
Messi’s suspension for “having directed insulting words at an assistant referee” during a home qualifier last week against Chile started on Tuesday, shortly before his teammates played Bolivia in La Paz.
Without Messi, Argentina went on to lose the qualifier 2-0.
The five-time FIFA player of the year can appeal to FIFA, but is on track to return for Argentina’s final match in the 10-team South American qualifying group, hosting Ecuador on Oct. 10.
“We have to appeal this decision, we’ll see how it goes,” said Jorge Miadosqui, Argentina’s national teams director. “But we’re left angry and sad because (Messi) will not be with the team.”
It was close to a must-win match last Thursday when Argentina hosted Chile, the team it lost to in the Copa America finals of 2015 and 2016
Argentina won 1-0 after Messi scored with a first-half penalty at the vibrant Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, but he lost his cool in the closing minutes.
Messi reacted angrily when a decision went against him and aimed a volley of profane abuse at the assistant. He refused to shake hands with the official after the match.
FIFA could intervene as the incident was not initially reported by the Brazilian referee. It was judged a red-card offense for Messi.
“This decision is in line with the FIFA Disciplinary Committee’s previous rulings in similar cases,” said the world soccer body, which also fined Messi 10,000 Swiss francs ($10,160).
Messi and the Argentine soccer federation can challenge the ban at FIFA’s appeals committee. It rarely overturns disciplinary rulings, though it could reduce the number of games he must miss. BOLIVIA 2, ARGENTINA 0 >> Hours after Messi was suspended, Argentina lost to Bolivia in the altitude of La Paz and heightened its risk of missing a spot at Russia 2018.
Argentina dropped from third to fifth place, remaining on 22 points in South American qualifying with four games to play and putting coach Edgardo Bauza under intense pressure to step aside.
South America has four direct spots at the World Cup, and the fifth-ranked team goes into an inter-continental playoff against the Oceania qualifying winner for another spot at Russia next year.
While Argentina struggled, Colombia had a 2-0 win at Ecuador, posting its first win in Quito in 20 years and ensuring it will end the round in second or third spot. Ecuador dropped out of the top five for the first time, slipping to sixth with 20 points.
Injuries: Galaxy’s Lletget out 4 to 6 months
LOS ANGELES >> LA Galaxy midfielder Sebastian Lletget needs foot surgery and will be sidelined four to six months after getting hurt while playing for the United States in a World Cup qualifier against Honduras.
Lletget was a surprise starter in the Americans’ 6-0 win Friday night. He put the U.S. ahead in the fifth minute with his first international goal, then injured his left foot in the 15th minute on a slide tackle that earned Honduran defender Ever Alvarado a yellow card. Lletget was replaced three minutes later by Alejandro Bedoya.
The Galaxy said Tuesday that Lletget at first was thought to have a strained foot. But the U.S. Soccer Federation and the Galaxy medical team determined Lletget has a Lisfranc injury, a break to one or more bones in the middle of the foot. ATLANTA >> Atlanta United forward Josef Martinez, who leads the MLS with five goals, will miss four to six weeks with a left quad injury.
The team says Martinez, a native of Venezuela, suffered the injury last week when playing for the Venezuelan National Team in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification.
Martinez has led Atlanta United, which plays at Seattle on Friday, to a 2-1 start as an expansion team. He had a hat trick in a 6-1 win over Minnesota United. He added two goals in a 4-0 win over Chicago.
Asia: Australia beats UAE
Australia defeated United Arab Emirates 2-0 in Sydney, ending a run of four games without a win to get its qualification for the 2018 World Cup back on track.
UAE’s second loss in five days prompted coach Mahdi Ali to announce his resignation following the match.
He’d been in charge since 2012.