Timothy Weah’s red card against Panama: why was he sent off and how many games will he miss?

Timothy Weah was sent off by referee Iván Barton following a VAR check in an eventful first half between Panama and the USMNT at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Why was Weah red carded against Panama?

After Weston McKennie had had a goal disallowed, also after a video replay had been consulted, Weah was shown a straight red card in the 18th minute following an off-the-ball incident involving a Panama defender near the halfway line.

The Juventus attacker initially received a yellow card for the incident, in which he struck an opponent on the back of the head as the pair jostled for position a few yards inside the Panama half.

Replays of the tussle showed that Weah could have few complaints about Barton’s decision, which came with the ball nowhere near the two players. The 24-year-old appeared resigned to his fate as he traipsed off the field.

Which USMNT games will Weah miss?

Copa América suspension rules mean straight red cards normally result in players serving an automatic one-match ban.

However, CONMEBOL can also choose to increase the sanction if they feel the offence committed warrants it, which could well happen to Weah.

The former PSG player will definitely miss the USMNT’s third and final Group C match against Uruguay on Monday 1 July, and now faces a nervous wait to see if his ban is extended.