MLS: Revolution’s Smith Suspended

After Tuesday brought news of Taylor Twellman being out for the season the New England Revolution were in need of no more bad omens heading into Thursday’s playoff opener against Chicago but were unable to avoid the inevitable. Wednesday Khano Smith was given a three game suspension and a $1250 fine for his violent tackle on Kansas City’s Herculez Gomez.

The Bermudan's tackle seemed to be in retaliation for a tackle from Gomez two weeks earlier that broke Revolution captain Steve Ralston’s leg.

“I was furious,” Wizard coach Curt Onalfo said about Smith’s tackle in an interview with Goal.com. “I talked to the fourth official. Then we made a decision at halftime, for the safety of the player, to pull him out.”

Gomez himself was shocked about the harshness of the tackle.

“I don’t know what to say,” Gomez said Wednesday before the suspension was announced. “Everybody was kind of in awe. It was kind of surreal.”

The ruling added two games and $1000 to the action mandated by MLS for all red cards.

Smith will miss both legs of the Revolution’s conference semifinal tie with Chicago and will also miss the conference final if the Revs advance. If New England can not get by the Fire in the playoffs, then Smith’s suspension will carry over to the first game of the 2009 regular season.

The press release from MLS stated that Smith “made an egregious challenge that endangered the safety of his opponent.”

Smith was not the only member of the Revolution who was punished as a result of Saturday’s match. Head coach Steve Nicol was given a $1000 fine for being critical of MLS following the game in an article published by The Boston Globe.

Nicol questioned the other red card on the night, which was given to Revolution fullback Gabriel Badilla.

The Revolution will now be without Smith, Twellman, Ralston, and Adam Cristman for the entirety of the conference playoffs and will only get Smith back if they advance to the MLS cup final. Badilla will miss Thursday’s contest, but should be back for the return leg in Chicago.

--Allen Ramsey, Goal.com