Major League Soccer’s disciplinary committee is on the spot once again, this time set to deliberate a critical penalty kick decision in San Jose’s victory over Colorado late Wednesday night.
It’s all difficult to decipher from the camera angle, but it certainly looks like San Jose striker Alan Gordon dove. Or perhaps he just embellished, which might be a misdemeanor offense compared to the felony level full swan swoon.
If the committee decides so, it’s a big deal. Because Gordon’s actions in that case absolutely affected the outcome; the moment in question came in second half stoppage time of a 1-1 draw. The visitors pulled ahead and prevailed, 2-1, thanks to Chris Wondolowski’s ensuing penalty kick.
So if Gordon did indeed put one over on referee Sorin Stoica, then his team benefitted by at least two points. Those two points could be huge in the standings at season’s end. (As could the one point Colorado lost. FYI, look who is just two points behind the Rapids for the last playoff spot according to the current standings: the starry L.A. Galaxy.)
Gordon keeps turning up in waning moments to make things happen, but it’s usually in providing the dramatic goal or the telling, late assist. This is different, a potential momentum killer (if he happens to be suspended) on an otherwise amazing run of late-match heroics.
The moment in question:
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