MLS Issues Fines and Rescinds Red Card Following On-Field Brawl Between Inter Miami and Philadelphia Union
After a routine match between Inter Miami and the Philadelphia Union escalated into a brawl on Wednesday, Major League Soccer (MLS) has announced new penalties while also easing some existing ones.
Lionel Messi, the star player for Miami, received an undisclosed fine for making contact with an opposing player’s face or neck, as confirmed by the league on Friday. His teammate, Ian Fray, also faced penalties for the same infraction.
In a related decision, the league announced the rescinding of a red card issued to Cavan Sullivan, a midfielder for the Union. He had been penalized in the final moments of the match following the altercation between the two teams.
The brawl erupted when Messi struck Quinn Sullivan of Philadelphia in the back of the head, which led to a face-to-face conflict between the two players. The main confrontation occurred during the 12th minute of the second-half stoppage time, with the match concluding in a 2-2 tie. Following a contentious collision in the penalty box, Fray appeared to grab at Quinn Sullivan’s head, prompting Quinn to flip Fray to the ground.
As tensions flared, Cavan Sullivan rushed in to support his brother, leading to a skirmish with Miami’s Yannick Bright. The confrontation saw Bright allegedly strike Cavan in the face multiple times, while Cavan engaged with Bright’s jersey in response.
Both Quinn Sullivan, 22, and Cavan Sullivan, 16, are brothers who developed through the Philadelphia Union academy before joining the senior team. Cavan made headlines by signing a four-year deal with the Union at just 14 years old.
In soccer, making contact with an opponent’s head or neck is strictly forbidden and is typically punished severely, irrespective of the player’s intent.
With the red card now revoked, Cavan Sullivan’s one-game suspension has also been lifted, making him available for Philadelphia’s upcoming match against Austin on Saturday. However, Bright’s suspension remains in place, and he will miss Miami’s upcoming game against Toronto.
After a routine game between Inter Miami and the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday turned into an all-out brawl, MLS is handing down more punishments — and easing others.
Miami star Lionel Messi has been fined an undisclosed amount after getting his hands in the face or neck area of an opposing player, the league announced Friday. Messi’s teammate Ian Fray has been penalized for the same action.
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MLS also announced that Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan, who had received a red card after the climactic fight between the two teams in the final minutes of the game, has had the card rescinded.
During the heated match, Messi struck Philadelphia’s Quinn Sullivan in the back of the head, sparking a confrontation where the two went forehead-to-forehead.
The bulk of the action, however, came in the 12th minute of second-half stoppage time of the game, which ended in a 2-2 draw. Quinn Sullivan went down after a chippy collision in the box; Fray then seemed to grab at Sullivan’s head as he stepped over him, leading Sullivan to flip Fray to the ground.
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Cavan quickly ran in to defend Quinn and ended up skirmishing with Miami’s Yannick Bright, who seemingly struck him in the face more than once, with Cavan gripping the front of Bright’s jersey.
Quinn Sullivan, 22, and Cavan Sullivan, 16 are brothers; both grew up in the Philadelphia Union academy system before signing with the senior team. Cavan made history after signing a four-year deal with Philadelphia when he was just 14 years old.
Touching the head or neck of an opposing player is a big no-no in soccer, and is usually punished harshly regardless of intention.
Cavan Sullivan’s rescinded red card means that his one-game suspension has also been taken back, and that he will be available as Philadelphia takes on Austin on Saturday.
Bright’s suspension or red card, however, has not been lifted. He will miss Miami’s game against Toronto on Saturday.
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