MLS disciplines coach, 5 players

NEW YORK, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Major League Soccer has disciplined five players and New England Revolution Coach Steve Nicol for incidents during the league's playoffs.

Nicol was fined $2,000 for publicly criticizing league officials following the one-game suspension of Revolution defender Sharlie Joseph. The coach told The Boston Globe that suspending Joseph for violent conduct was "a ridiculous call."

FC Dallas goalkeeper Dario Sala was given the toughest penalty among players disciplined. He was suspended for six games and fined $3,500 for violent conduct in an Oct. 28 playoff game with Colorado. Rapids' player Mike Petke was fined $500 for the same incident, the league said.

Juan Pablo Garcia, of Chivas USA, was suspended two games and fined $2,000 for a serious foul on Houston's Brad Davis after the final whistle of the teams' game Oct. 29. Chivas' Claudio Suarez was fined $750 and Houston's Ricardo Clark $500 for "lack of respect for the game," MLS said in a release.

All suspensions will carry over to next season.