Skipper Suspended for Saturday

Shalrie Joseph was suspended and fined by MLS on Tuesday for a reckless challenge that occurred during last Thursday's 1-0 loss to FC Dallas. (Photo: Joshua Pearson)

When Jay Heaps fills out his starting XI on Saturday, one player he won’t have at his disposal is his captain.

On Tuesday, MLS announced that Revolution midfielder Shalrie Joseph has been suspended for one game “for his reckless challenge that endangered the safety of his opponent” during last Thursday’s match at FC Dallas. Joseph will serve his suspension this weekend, forcing him to miss Saturday’s D.C. United game. He was also fined an undisclosed amount.

The offense in question occurred in the 62nd minute of the Dallas match, when Joseph tackled midfielder Ricardo Villar from behind. Referee Juan Guzman issued Joseph a yellow card for the tackle.

Villar is listed as “out” on Dallas’ Apr. 10 injury report with a right foot injury. On Tuesday, Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman told 3rddegree.net that the playmaker’s return will be assessed “week-by-week.”

Last year, Joseph was suspended for the Revolution’s Jul. 16 match against Philadelphia for yellow card accumulation. Without Joseph on the field, the Revolution suffered a humbling 3-0 home defeat and failed to register a shot on goal.

With Joseph unavailable for Saturday’s match, rookie winger Kelyn Rowe is a candidate to fill the vacant central midfield spot. Rowe got the start in the middle during the 1-0 win over Portland on Mar. 24 when Joseph filled in at center back.

As far as the captaincy goes, both Matt Reis and Chris Tierney have served as team captains in the past. Another option may be Clyde Simms, who sported the armband for D.C. United during various points of his seven seasons in the nation’s capital.

Joseph is the second Revolution player to be suspended this season. Center back Stephen McCarthy was suspended for the Mar. 24 game against Portland after he was issued a red card during the Mar. 17 game against Sporting Kansas City.

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