Toronto FC will have to do withouth Brazilian winger Jackson for their next two matches against Western Conference heavyweights Portland Timbers (Saturday at 1 pm ET, MLSsoccer.com Stream of the Week) and the LA Galaxy (Sat., Oct. 4 at 10:30 pm ET on TSN and RDS2).
That's after the MLS Disciplinary Committee upheld Jackson's automatic two-game suspension for the red card he received for violent conduct in a 66th minute incident involving Chivas USA's Nigel Reo-Coker last weekend at BMO Field (WATCH VIDEO HERE). Both players were sent off by the referee as a result of the confrontation.
Per league policy in 2014, "a player who receives a red card for violent conduct (excessive force or brutality when not challenging for the ball) will be given an automatic 2-game suspension," according to an official MLS release.
But as part of that same policy, the Disciplinary Committee can also review an incident and reduce the 2-game suspension if it deems violent conduct does not exist. That's what happened in the case of Reo-Coker, who saw his two-game ban reduced to one because "the player’s actions did not constitute violent conduct." He'll sit out Chivas USA's Saturday afternoon match at the Seattle Sounders (4 pm ET, MLS LIVE).
Both Jackson and Reo-Coker were also fined an undisclosed amount as part of the Disciplinary Committee ruling. Reo-Coker was handed an additional fine for violating the league's policy regarding "hands to the face/head of an opponent."
