Canada coach Jesse Marsch handed 2-game ban by CONCACAF Disciplinary Committee
Canada Coach Jesse Marsch Receives Two-Game Ban from CONCACAF
After being ejected during the third-place game against the U.S. last month at the CONCACAF Nations League, Canada coach Jesse Marsch has been handed a two-game ban by CONCACAF. This ban includes an automatic one-game suspension for the red card, as well as an additional game for “unacceptable conduct towards the match officials and for delaying the restart of the match by refusing to leave the field of play.”
As a result, Marsch will have to sit out the first two games of the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup, scheduled to take place from June 14 to July 6. Assistant coach Mauro Biello will step in to run the sideline in Marsch’s absence during this period.
In addition to the ban, the Disciplinary Committee has issued a warning to Canada Soccer and Marsch, stating that more severe sanctions could be imposed if similar incidents occur in the future.
The incident that led to Marsch’s ejection occurred during Canada’s 2-1 victory over the U.S. on March 23 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. Marsch was sent off in the 54th minute for protesting the lack of a penalty call by the referee, Katia Garcia.
Marsch’s frustration stemmed from a missed penalty in the semifinal loss to Mexico, where a penalty was not awarded after Derek Cornelius was challenged in the Mexican penalty box. This frustration spilled over in the match against the U.S. when Jonathan David went down in the penalty box, with Garcia once again waving play on.
Reflecting on the incident, Marsch expressed his disappointment with the officiating and the need for his players to stand up for themselves. He admitted that he should have reacted more strongly to the initial penalty decision against Mexico, as he believed the second penalty call against the U.S. was not justified.
Despite this ban, Marsch remains focused on the upcoming Canadian Shield tournament in Toronto, where Canada will face Ukraine and Ivory Coast in friendly matches. The ban will only come into effect during official competition at the Gold Cup.
