MLS disciplines Inter Miami duo for head and neck contact
Lionel Messi and Ian Fray have been fined by Major League Soccer for separate incidents involving Philadelphia Union defender Quinn Sullivan during a 2-2 draw.
Major League Soccer has issued fines to Inter Miami players Lionel Messi and Ian Fray for making contact in the head and neck area of opponents during a 2-2 draw against the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday night. The league confirmed the disciplinary action on Friday, though the specific amounts of the fines were not disclosed.
The incidents occurred in separate moments during second-half stoppage time. Messi was penalised for slapping Philadelphia Union defender Quinn Sullivan on the back of the neck while the two players exchanged words. In a distinct occurrence, Fray was fined after grabbing Sullivan’s neck following a tangle in the penalty area.
The sequence leading to Fray’s fine began when Sullivan lost his footing while dribbling into the penalty area. Sullivan became entangled with Fray, who then grabbed the defender by the neck. Sullivan subsequently jumped up and tackled Fray in response to the contact.
The match marked a significant return for Messi, who scored his first goal since the death of his father, Jorge Messi, and added an assist in the same fixture. Messi had previously cut short his return to Inter Miami to attend his father’s funeral in August.
The league’s disciplinary decision also extended to Minnesota United FC defender Anthony Markanich, who was fined for embellishment during a 2-1 loss to Atlanta United on Wednesday.
