Soccer Roundup: Messi Banned Four Matches for Referee Abuse

Panama City — Christian Pulisic made an outstanding individual move to steal the ball, spin a defender and feed Clint Dempsey for his 56th international goal, and the United States hung on for an important 1-1 draw against Panama on Tuesday night in World Cup qualifying.

Dempsey’s 39th-minute goal on a warm and humid night moved him within one of Landon Donovan’s American scoring record, but the lead did not last long. Gabriel Gomez tied the score four minutes later following a throw-in.

Tim Howard thwarted Luis Tejada with a between-the-legs stop in the 59th minute, at 38 providing another top night in goal.

Messi Banned Four MatchesFor Abuse of Assistant Ref

Geneva — Lionel Messi is banned from Argentina’s next four World Cup qualifying games, dealing a blow to a campaign by the 2014 runner-up that has stuttered without him.

Messi’s suspension for “having directed insulting words at an assistant referee” during a home qualifier last week against Chile started on Tuesday, shortly before his teammates played Bolivia in La Paz.

Without Messi, Argentina went on to lose the qualifier, 2-0.

The five-time FIFA player of the year can appeal to FIFA but is on track to return for Argentina’s final match in the 10-team South American qualifying group, hosting Ecuador on Oct. 10.

Argentina has relied on its captain Messi to move up to third place in a group where the top four qualify for the tournament in Russia. The fifth-place team enters a playoff in November, likely against New Zealand.

Messi has scored in four qualifiers so far, with Argentina going on to win every game. Without him, though, Argentina has earned only seven points out of a possible 24.

Major League Soccer

LA’s Lletget Out Months With U.S. Injury

Los Angeles — LA Galaxy midfielder Sebastian Lletget needs foot surgery and will be sidelined four to six months after getting hurt while playing for the United States in a World Cup qualifier against Honduras.

Lletget was a surprise starter in the Americans’ 6-0 win on Friday night at San Jose, Calif. He put the U.S. ahead in the fifth minute with his first international goal, then injured his left foot in the 15th minute on a slide tackle that earned Honduran defender Ever Alvarado a yellow card.

Atlanta United Star Out, Too

Atlanta — Atlanta United forward Josef Martinez, who leads the MLS with five goals, will miss four to six weeks with a left quad injury.

The team says Martinez, a native of Venezuela, suffered the injury last week when playing for the Venezuelan National Team in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification.

Martinez has led Atlanta United, which plays at Seattle on Friday, to a 2-1 start as an expansion team.

He had a hat trick in a 6-1 win over Minnesota United. He added two goals in a 4-0 win over Chicago.