MONTREAL - The Montreal Impact have suspended forward Roberto Brown indefinitely after he punched an opposing player in the face during Wednesday's Nutrilite Championship game against Toronto FC.
Brown was ejected from the game in the 35th minute after hitting Toronto FC defender Nick Garcia in the face. Garcia was helped to the dressing room, with the team later saying he would be fine.
Toronto earned a 2-0 win in the game, which featured several confrontations between the teams that resulted in four yellow cards and Brown's eventual dismissal.
"Roberto is an intense athlete, an excellent person and an important player on our roster, but his gesture is unacceptable," Impact head coach Marc Dos Santos said in a statement. "Roberto let his teammates down during the game Wednesday."
Technical director Nick De Santis suggested Brown has had problems maintaining his composure in the past.
"From a club perspective, his gesture is not tolerated and it stands far from our sportsmanship values," De Santis said in a statement. "I hope he will understand the seriousness of his behaviour because it's not the first time he (has acted) this way."
The Impact will likely determine the length of Brown's suspension after receiving the discipline report from the Canadian Soccer Association.
The 32-year-old Brown scored seven goals in 25 games last season, and was named most valuable player of the final series against the Vancouver Whitecaps as the Impact won its third league title.
He is scoreless in two games this season.
