Montreal's Evan Bush's suspension upheld, will miss Champions League final second leg
MONTREAL -- Evan Bush will indeed have to miss Wednesday's CONCACAF Champions League final return leg against Club America.
The Montreal Impact announced the news Monday, after CONCACAF rejected the team's appeals to rescind the yelow card Bush received in last week's first leg at the Azteca in Mexico City. Since it was the goalkeeper's second yellow card of the knockout stage -- he received one in the semifinals against Costa Rican side Alajauelense -- the goalkeeper was automatically set to miss the second leg.
While the Impact still argue there was no wrongdoing on the play and that Bush should not have been cautioned at all, by CONCACAF regulations, a referee decision's cannot be overturned in this situation.
"We believe that the card was a bad decision by the referee, but CONCACAF rules state that you can't appeal a referee decision on a yellow card unless it was given to the wrong player," Impact technical director Adam Braz said in a club statement. "We continue to look at all our options for Wednesday's match."
Though the Impact currently have two goakeepers on their roster (John Smitts, who is on loan from Edmonton, and homegrown youngster Maxime Crepeau) there's still a possibility that the Impact could acquire a player on loan or via a trade.
Goal Canada learned via a source Sunday that the Impact were in discussions with MLS side Chicago Fire to acquire goalkeeper Sean Johnson on a one-game loan; goalkeepers Josh Saunders (New York City FC) and Stefan Frei (Seattle Sounders) were among other options being considered at the time.
However, since MLS didn't approve of the Impact seeking a temporary loan from within the league, if they want another alternative, it will have come from someplace else.
The team has until 8:00 p.m. ET on Monday to decide.
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