Houston Dynamo midfielder Juan David Cabezas will be suspended for the club’s season-opening match against Seattle Sounders FC on Saturday night, the club announced today.
Cabezas received two yellow cards for professional fouls in his final game with Independiente Medellin in the Colombian Categoría Primera A on December 3, 2016 against Santa Fe. According to regulations from FIFA, the governing body of soccer internationally, a player must serve a one-match suspension after receiving two yellow cards in a game, even if he or she moves to a new club or a new league.
The Dynamo appealed the suspension, but it was upheld according to Article 12, Number 1 of the Regulation on the Status and Transfer of Players, which reads:
“Any disciplinary sanction of up to four matches or up to three months that has been imposed on a player by the former association but not yet (entirely) served by the time of the transfer shall be enforced by the new association at which the player has been registered in order for the sanction to be served at domestic level.”
Cabezas is expected to be eligible to play in Houston’s second game of the season on March 11 vs. Columbus Crew SC.
“We are disappointed that Juan will not be available for the first game of the season,” said Dynamo Vice President and General Manager Matt Jordan. “As a club we put a lot of effort into appealing the suspension but we respect the ruling by FIFA and the Colombian Federation. We look forward Juan being available for selection following his one-game suspension.”
The Dynamo open the 2017 season, presented by 76, on Saturday, March 4 at 7:30 p.m. CST against the defending MLS Cup Champion Seattle Sounders FC at BBVA Compass Stadium. Opening Day is presented by Pepsi Zero Sugar.
Tickets for all regular season games start at $25 and are on sale now at HoustonDynamo.com, by phone at 713-276-GOAL and at the BBVA Compass Stadium box office. Season tickets for the entire 2017 home campaign are also available online at HoustonDynamo.com/2017 or by phone at 713-276-GOAL.
