D.C. United forward Alecko Eskandarian contacted the MLS Players Union on Monday to appeal his red card in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Columbus.
“Seeing the replays, I still don’t think it’s a red. Obviously, I knew what was going on and stuff like that,” said Eskandarian, who delayed a free kick when he ran in front of Crew defender Marcos Gonzalez and prevented him from getting the ball in the 65th minute. Eskandarian said he deserved a yellow card, but he was stunned when referee Mauricio Navarro showed him a straight red.
Unless the card is rescinded, Eskandarian will miss United’s fourth and final regular-season match against Columbus on Saturday at RFK Stadium.
“I know they don’t turn over many things, but hopefully they can see my side of the situation and see that I didn’t have any intent to harm him or injure him or anything like that,” said Eskandarian.
The dismissal spoiled an otherwise stellar return to the starting lineup for Eskandarian, who scored the game’s only goal with a thundering first-half free kick after missing four games with a knee injury.
Note: Forward Yuri Morales joined United on a trial this week. The 25-year-old former Massachusetts striker has played recently in Denmark’s first and second divisions.
