Mexican midfielder Héctor Herrera, formerly of FC Porto and currently with the Houston Dynamo, was sent off during the Major League Soccer (MLS) match against Seattle Sounders after spitting in the referee’s direction.
The incident occurred in the 64th minute when Herrera, punished with a yellow card for another offence, was told by the VAR that his gesture was liable to expulsion.
The 34-year-old veteran player, who spent six seasons with FC Porto, left the field when the score was still 0-0 in the second leg of the last 16 of the MLS playoffs.
At the end of regulation time, the 1-1 draw took the decision to penalties, where Seattle Sounders emerged victorious and progressed to the quarter-finals, repeating the result of the first leg of the series.